WALES

Departmental Interns

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many interns her Department has engaged in the last 12 months; and how many were  (a) unpaid,  (b) remunerated with expenses only and  (c) paid at the rate of the national minimum wage or above.

David Jones: No interns have been engaged in the last 12 months.

Departmental Visits Abroad

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much her Department spent on overseas visits for senior officials in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

David Jones: In the past 12 months the Wales Office has spent £457 on overseas visits for senior staff.

SCOTLAND

Departmental Visits Abroad

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department spent on overseas visits for senior officials in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

David Mundell: In 2009-10, no Scotland Office officials undertook overseas trips on departmental business, other than to accompany Scotland Office Ministers. £725.65 was spent on overseas visits for senior officials in that capacity.
	All travel is undertaken in accordance with the Civil Service Management Code.

Higher Education: Finance

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland pursuant to the statement of 12 October 2010,  Official Report, columns 155-57, on higher education and student finance, whether he  (a) has had and  (b) plans to have discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the implications for the block grant to Scotland of the Government's policy on higher education in England.

Michael Moore: The block grant for Scotland was set out in the spending review on 20 October. It is for the Scottish Government to determine what funding they allocate to devolved areas such as higher education and student finance.

TRANSPORT

Boats: Licensing

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether boatmasters working on the River Thames who fail the Maritime and Coastguard Agency's compulsory re-test will be entitled to claim compensation for the loss of livelihood; and what recent discussions he has had with  (a) Ministers and  (b) officials in the Department for Work and Pensions on the position of such boatmasters.

Michael Penning: The arrangements for the re-issue of Boatmaster Licences (BML) following revalidation do not provide for any compensation in relation to any losses that a boatmaster may incur as a result of his or her failure to fulfil statutory requirements. This includes boatmasters who now need to submit to an oral assessment of local knowledge to whom the Maritime and Coastguard Agency had previously issued a BML, under the 2006 regulations, based on "Grandfather Rights".
	No meetings have taken place with either Ministers or officials in the Department for Work and Pensions on the position of such boatmasters.

Boats: Licensing

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether boatmasters working on the River Thames will be able to remain in service if they hold a licence valid until the end of 2011, irrespective of the outcome of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency's compulsory re-test.

Michael Penning: A boatmaster working on the Thames will be able to remain in service until the expiry of his or her current licence, regardless of whether he or she passes or fails the oral assessment associated with the Port of London Local Knowledge Endorsement for the revalidation of a Boatmaster's Licence (BML).

Buckshaw Village Station: Repairs and Maintenance

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects works at Buckshaw Village Train Station will commence; when the station is scheduled to open; and how many trains are planned to stop there each day.

Theresa Villiers: Work is expected to begin on the new station in November 2010 and Network Rail estimates that it could be operational in autumn 2011. The station will see three train services an hour in each direction: two Northern services (Blackpool North to Manchester Victoria, and Preston to Hazel Grove) and one TransPennine Express service (Blackpool North to Manchester airport).

Bus Services: Bedfordshire

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 14 October 2010,  Official Report, column 417W, on rapid transport systems: Bedfordshire, what the name is of each private sector contributor to the Luton Dunstable Guided Busway; and how much each contributed.

Norman Baker: The private sector contributors to the Luton Dunstable Guided Busway are as follows:
	
		
			  Contributor  Description  Amount (£000) 
			 Explore Investments Developers of Napier Park/Stirling Place 3,000 
			 ASDA For land at ASDA store in Dunstable. Land owned by McLagan Investments and leased to ASDA 230 
			 Laing Homes For retaining wall to rear of Chiltern Park housing development 90 
			 McCann Homes For pedestrian/cycle link between housing development off Leicester Road and Chaul End Lane 40 
			 Lionsgate Properties For pedestrian link between housing development on Dukeminster estate in Dunstable and White Lion retail park 20 
			 Bellway Homes From Station Road housing development in Dunstable 20 
			 Total - 3,400

Departmental Legislation

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many statutory duties were placed on local authorities by legislation introduced by his Department and its predecessors in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Baker: 98 statutory duties relating to transport have been placed on local authorities since 1997 by primary legislation introduced by the Department for Transport (created in 2002) and its predecessors. A list of these duties has been placed in the Libraries of the House. An answer which also included secondary legislation could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Driving Tests: Birmingham

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many driving tests were conducted at  (a) Wednesbury,  (b) Wolverhampton and  (c) Kingstanding test centre in (i) each of the last three years and (ii) the most recent period for which figures are available; and what proportion of candidates (A) passed and (B) failed tests taken at those centres.

Michael Penning: The number of driving tests conducted at  (a) Wednesbury,  (b) Wolverhampton and  (c) Kingstanding test centre in (i) each of the last three full financial years and (ii) for April to September 2010; along with the number of tests (A) passed and (B) failed at those centres can be found in the following tables.
	
		
			   Car  Motorcycle (sing l e test) 
			   Total  % pass  % fail  Total  % pass  % fail 
			  2007-08   
			 Birmingham (Kingstanding) 10,219 40.7 59.3 329 70.2 29.8 
			 Wednesbury 9,010 32.8 67.2 - - - 
			 Wolverhampton 11,458 46.5 53.5 721 67.8 32.2 
			
			  2008-09   
			 Birmingham (Kingstanding) 11,692 40.2 59.8 415 68.4 31.6 
			 Wednesbury 10,217 34.9 65.1 - - - 
			 Wolverhampton 10,717 48.0 52.0 1,037 72.0 28.0 
		
	
	
		
			   Car  Motorcycle (single test)  Motorcycle (module 1)  Motorcycle (module 2) 
			   Total  % pass  % fail  Total  % pass  % fail  Total  % pass  % fail  Total  % pass  % fail 
			  2009-10 
			 Birmingham (Kingstanding) 10,859 39.2 60.8 - - - - - - - - - 
			 Wednesbury 8,102 37.4 62.6 - - - - - - - - - 
			 Wolverhampton closed 30 March 2010 6,992 47.9 52.1 80 77.5 22.5 - - - - - - 
			 Wolverhampton MPTC opened  25 October 2009 3,776 47.5 52.5 - - - 282 57.1 42.9 210 80.5 19.5 
		
	
	
		
			   Car  Motorcycle (module 1)  Motorcycle (module 2) 
			   Total  % pass  % fail  Total  % pass  % fail  Total  % pass  % fail 
			  1 April 2010 to  30 September 2010  
			 Birmingham (Kingstanding) 5,357 38.1 61.9 - - - - - - 
			 Wednesbury 5,302 37.2 62.8 - - - - - - 
			 Wolverhampton MPTC opened  25 October 2009 4,897 49.9 50.1 723 57.8 42.2 489 70.6 29.4

High Speed Trains

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many applications his Department has received to its Exceptional Hardship Scheme in respect of the proposed High Speed Two rail link; and if he will make a statement.

Philip Hammond: As of 21 October 2010, the HS2 Exceptional Hardship Scheme had received 73 applications.

M4: Bus Lanes

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what modelling studies his Department undertook when developing its proposals to suspend the M4 bus lane; and what assessment he has made of  (a) the average reduction in journey time for private motor vehicles and  (b) the effect on journey time for bus lane users consequent on the suspension of the lane.

Michael Penning: The performance of the M4 London bound carriageway under current traffic flows has been modelled by the Highways Agency using specialist (Paramics) computer software.
	Early analysis shows:
	 (a) an average reduction in journey times for cars of 7% during the morning peak, with slightly greater savings during the evening peak;
	 (b) no significant effect on journey time for current bus lane users.
	Traffic flows will be monitored during the experimental order period to validate these predictions.

Merchant Shipping

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to conclude his review of the Merchant Shipping (Ship-to-Ship Transfers) Regulations 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Penning: The closing date for the receipt of responses to the review was 30 September. I am now considering the representations which have been made to me.
	I shall announce the outcome of the review to the House at the earliest opportunity.

Railway Stations: North East

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether Network Rail plans to open new train stations in the North East region.

Theresa Villiers: The Department for Transport is not aware of any plans for Network Rail to open new train stations in the North East region. We understand that Tees Valley Regeneration proposes to build new stations at Durham Tees Valley airport, Wilton, and James Cook hospital, subject to a suitable funding source being identified.

Railways

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of the benefits of new high speed rail lines for communities beyond the reach of each proposed route.

Philip Hammond: The benefits arising from, firstly, through-services running off a London to West Midlands line on to the West Coast Main Line, and, secondly, of released capacity for destinations around and beyond the line are included in the detailed business case work undertaken by HS2 Ltd in its report published in March 2010. This work is available at:
	www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/pi/highspeedrail/hs2ltd
	A wider high speed rail network would have the potential to offer still more significant benefits of this nature.

Railways

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent estimate his Department has made of the  (a) carbon dioxide emissions consequent on the construction of the London to Birmingham High Speed 2 rail line and  (b) contribution of the proposed High Speed 2 rail line to the Government's carbon reduction targets.

Philip Hammond: High speed rail has an important role to play in the creation of a low carbon economy and in contributing to the meeting of our carbon reduction targets.
	Estimates of the carbon dioxide emissions arising from the construction (i.e. embedded carbon) of HS2 are set out in HS2 Ltd's December 2009 report and supporting documents. Total embedded carbon emissions are estimated at 1.2MtCO2, within a range of +0.29MtCO2 to +2.12MtCO2. This currently amounts to less than 1% of a single year's emissions from transport.
	HS2 Ltd has estimated that the overall carbon impact of a new London-West Midlands high speed line would be broadly neutral. These impacts should be considered alongside the new line's economic benefits and, in particular, its capacity to cater for additional demand for inter-urban transport caused by long-term economic growth and to improve journey times between key economic centres. Looked at in the round, I do not believe that any other option can offer the same balance of environmental and economic benefits as high speed rail.

Railways: Fares

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will assess the potential effects of raising the existing cap on annual increases for train fares on the number of people commuting by train between Brighton and Hove and London.

Theresa Villiers: We have announced that the fares policy from 2 January 2011 will be RPI+1%, then RPI+3% applied for the following three years. Although passenger growth slowed during the economic downturn, the resumption of economic growth has seen passenger numbers increasing and we expect this trend to continue.

Railways: Finance

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of the costs of High Speed 2 he expects to be met from European Union funds.

Philip Hammond: In considering their approach to the funding of a new high speed network, one of the Government's objectives will be to ensure that third party funding contributions are maximised. This may include contributions from European Union funding streams, in particular the Trans-European Networks programme, under which the Government expect funding for high speed rail projects to be a priority. However, it is unlikely that the level of European Union funding available will be sufficient to cover more than a small proportion of the overall costs of any new high speed line.

Thameslink

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the number of  (a) additional peak-time passengers to be transported and  (b) passenger hours to be saved as a result of the completion of the Thameslink programme.

Theresa Villiers: The appraisal of the Thameslink programme forecasts that by 2026 there will be an additional 30,000 passengers carried on Thameslink services in each three-hour peak period. This equates to an overall saving of 18,500 passenger hours over each three-hour peak period.

West Coast Main Line

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information his Department holds on projected passenger numbers on the West Coast Main Line until 2020.

Theresa Villiers: The Department for Transport does not hold projected passenger numbers for the West Coast Main Line to 2020.
	The 'High Speed Two Baseline Forecasting Report' projects an increase in passenger demand on the West Coast franchise from 7.7 million passenger miles in 2008 to 12.6 million passenger miles in 2021, an increase of 64%.
	The report is available at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/pi/highspeedrail/hs2ltd/appraisalmaterial/pdf/baselinereport.pdf

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Air Pollution: Heathrow Airport

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department is taking to meet EU air quality targets at Heathrow and in the surrounding area.

Richard Benyon: EU air quality limits for all air pollutants except nitrogen dioxide (NO2) are met at Heathrow and the surrounding area. Road transport is a major source of this pollutant and meeting the EU limits for NO2 in the required timescales around the airport will be challenging, though concentrations of this pollutant are higher in Central London.
	The Government are committed to working towards EU air quality limits and like most other member states plans to use the provisions in the Air Quality Directive which permit until 2015 to meet the limits. DEFRA is working closely with the Department for Transport, the airport operator (BAA), the Mayor of London, and local authorities to develop and implement measures to help meet NO2 limits as soon as possible.

Animal Housing: Animal Welfare

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment her Department has made of the effect on small sanctuaries of the definition of a zoo set out in the Zoo Licensing Act 1981.

Richard Benyon: The Act defines a zoo as an establishment where wild animals are kept for exhibition to the public and which is open for seven or more days in a year. It covers a wide range of animal collections, from large traditional zoos to butterfly gardens, and the Department's assessment is that sanctuaries may fall within the definition. The Act provides that where small numbers of animals are kept, or where the collection has only a small number of different species, dispensations can be made which reduce the inspection requirements for those establishments. In some cases, collections can be exempted from the provisions of the Act entirely.
	Local authorities have responsibility for implementing the Act, including for assessing collections and the application of the Act to them.

Departmental Pay

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what allowances and payments in addition to salary were available to officials in her Department and its non-departmental public bodies in each year since 1997; and what the monetary value was of payments and allowances of each type in each such year.

Richard Benyon: The information requested is not held centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Sick Leave

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for how many days on average her Department's staff in each pay grade were absent from work as a result of ill health in 2009-10.

Richard Benyon: The following table shows the average number of working days lost through sickness by grade equivalent in DEFRA and its Agencies in 2009-10
	
		
			  Grade  AWDL 
			 AA 13.3 
			 AO 11.5 
			 EO 7.6 
			 HEO 5.3 
			 SEO 3.7 
			 Grade 7 4.3 
			 Grade 6 5.1 
			 SCS 1.5 
			 All grades 7.8

Departmental Sick Leave

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many officials in her Department have had  (a) fewer than five days,  (b) five to 10 days,  (c) 10 to 15 days , (d) 15 to 20 days,  (e) 20 to 25 days,  (f) 25 to 50 days,  (g) 50 to 75 days,  (h) 75 to 100 days,  (i) 100 to 150 days,  (j) 150 to 200 days,  (k) more than 200 days,  (l) more than three months,  (m) more than six months and  (n) one year on paid sick leave (i) consecutively and (ii) in total in each year since 1997.

Richard Benyon: The information requested could be provided only by incurring disproportionate costs.

Diversified Farm Businesses

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what information her Department holds on the number of its staff who have operated diversified farm businesses.

Richard Benyon: DEFRA does not hold a central register of this information and it is not certain whether this information exists at local level. Gathering local management information could be done only at a disproportionate cost to the Department.

Equality

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to publish equality impact assessments undertaken by her Department as part of the comprehensive spending review; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: DEFRA is taking equality into account in its work in response to the spending review. Equality impact assessments will be published in the normal course of business alongside any decisions on specific policies taken subsequently. This is in line with the Government's intention that fairness will be a key feature of our approach to meeting the fiscal challenges that we face as a nation.

Farmers: Bankruptcy

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the number of farmers who applied for bankruptcy in each of the last five years.

James Paice: Information on bankruptcies of individuals and company liquidations in England and Wales is reported for agriculture, hunting and forestry as a whole.
	
		
			  Bankruptcies and liquidations in agriculture, hunting and forestry, UK 
			   2008  2009 
			 Trading-related bankruptcies of individuals 147 198 
			 Company liquidations (both compulsory and creditors' voluntary) 65 73 
			  Note: Data are not available on a consistent basis before 2008 because of changes to the classification system. Information for England and Wales is not published separately. Equivalent data for Scotland are only available for company liquidations (there were three in each of 2008 and 2009). Equivalent data for Northern Ireland are not available. More information can be found at: http://www.insolvency.gov.uk/otherinformation/statistics/insolv.htm  Source: Insolvency Service

Farmers: Income

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent estimate her Department has made of the level and proportion of income for farmers that is expected to come from  (a) single farm payments,  (b) agri-environment schemes and  (c) diversified activity in each of the next five years.

James Paice: The Department does not make forecasts for future years of the contributions to Farm Business Income arising from single farm payments, agri-environment schemes and diversified activity. 2008-09 is the most recent year for which data on farm business income by 'cost centre', including from single farm payment, agri-environment schemes and diversified activity, are available. This is shown in the following table for all farm types. More detailed figures by farm type can be found in Farm Accounts in England (Table 5) available at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/evidence/statistics/foodfarm/farmmanage/farmaccounts/2009/
	
		
			  Table 1: Average farm business income by 'cost centre' (£ per farm), England 2008-09, all farm types 
			   Farm business income (£/farm) 
			 Agriculture 17,700 
			 Agri-environment and other payments 4,900 
			 Diversification out of agriculture 5,300 
			 Single Payment Schemes 23,000 
			 Total (Farm Business Income) (1)50,900 
			 (1) Income from the 'cost centres' may not sum to the total due to rounding.  Source: Farm Business Survey 
		
	
	Figures of total farm business income by farm type for 2009-10 will be published on 28 October 2010. This will be further broken down by 'cost centre' to provide the breakdown by single farm payment, agri-environment schemes and diversified activity when published in Farm Accounts in England on 16 December 2010. Both publications will be available at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/evidence/statistics/foodfarm/farmmanage/fbs/

Food: Labelling

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  if she will take steps to promote the introduction of a country of origin labelling regime for meat and fish products to provide that a single country of origin may be cited only if the animal was born, reared and slaughtered in one country;
	(2)  what steps she is taking to introduce mandatory country of origin labelling for  (a) all fresh meat products and  (b) the meat ingredient in processed meat and fish products; and if she will make a statement.

James Paice: Discussions are continuing on an EU food information regulation that includes new rules on origin labelling. There are calls to extend mandatory origin labelling and the UK is playing an active role in the debate so as to ensure consumers are provided with accurate and meaningful information. We are also discussing with the food industry ways in which they can voluntarily provide more and clearer origin information to assist consumers.

Food: Labelling

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions her Department has had with supermarkets and food companies on food labelling policy.

James Paice: The Secretary of State and I regularly meet major food retailers and trade associations representing all sectors of the food industry supply chain to discuss a range of issues including food labelling. In line with DEFRA's Structural Reform Plan, we are in discussions with key bodies in the food chain about ways in which food businesses can provide more and clearer information on food origin, particularly for meat and dairy products.

Human Rights

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she made of the cost to her Department and its non-departmental public bodies of compliance with  (a) domestic,  (b) European and  (c) other international human rights requirements in each year since 1997; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs does not collate information on the costs of compliance with human rights requirements. The Department takes account of the domestic and international human rights framework in developing all its policies and practices, as it does other relevant legal obligations. An accurate estimate of the total cost of compliance with human rights obligations could not be made without incurring disproportionate cost.

Natural England: Manpower

Martin Vickers: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people were employed by Natural England in 2009-10; and at what cost to the public purse.

Richard Benyon: The following information on staff numbers and costs in 2009-10 has been extracted from Natural England's 2009-10 Annual Report and Accounts, which are available at:
	http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/about_us/annualreports/default.aspx
	
		
			  Staff numbers 2009-10 
			   Average number of whole-time equivalent persons employed during the year 
			 Permanent staff 2,413 
			 Temporary and contract staff 223 
			 Total staff numbers 2,636 
		
	
	
		
			  Staff costs 2009-10 
			   £ 
			 Permanent staff salaries 93,200,000 
			 Agency, temporary staff and inward secondees 3,260,000 
			 Total staff costs 96,460,000

Public Bodies: Reform

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what estimate she has made of the potential saving to the public purse of the reconstitution of the Darwin Advisory Committee as a committee of experts in each of the next five years;
	(2)  what estimate she has made of the potential saving to the public purse of the abolition of the Commons Commissioners in each of the next five years;
	(3)  what estimate she has made of the potential saving to the public purse of the abolition of the Committee on Agricultural Valuation in each of the next five years;
	(4)  what estimate she has made of the potential saving to the public purse of the abolition of the Commission for Rural Communities in each of the next five years;
	(5)  what estimate she has made of the potential saving to the public purse of the reconstitution of the Air Quality Expert Group as a committee of experts in each of the next five years;
	(6)  what estimate she has made of the potential saving to the public purse of the abolition of the Animal Health and Welfare Strategy England Implementation Group in each of the next five years;
	(7)  what estimate she has made of the potential saving to the public purse of the abolition of the Agricultural Wages Committee in each of the next five years;
	(8)  what estimate she has made of the potential saving to the public purse of the abolition of the Agricultural Wages Board for England and Wales in each of the next five years;
	(9)  what estimate she has made of the potential saving to the public purse of the abolition of the Agricultural Dwelling House Advisory Committees in each of the next five years;
	(10)  what estimate she has made of the potential saving to the public purse of the reconstruction of the Advisory Committee on Pesticides as a committee of experts;
	(11)  what estimate she has made of the potential saving to the public purse of the reconstitution of the Advisory Committee on Packaging as a committee of experts in each of the next five years;
	(12)  what estimate she has made of the potential saving to the public purse of the abolition of the Advisory Committee on Organic Standards in each of the next five years;
	(13)  what estimate she has made of the potential saving to the public purse of the reconstitution of the Advisory Committee on Hazardous Substances as a committee of experts in each of the next five years;
	(14)  what estimate she has made of the likely savings to the public purse arising from the abolition of Food from Britain in the next five financial years;
	(15)  what estimate she has made of the likely savings to the public purse arising from the abolition of the Inland Waterways Advisory Council in the next five financial years;
	(16)  what estimate she has made of the likely savings to the public purse arising from the reconstitution of the National Standing Committee on Farm Animal Genetic Resources as a committee of experts in the next five financial years;
	(17)  what estimate she has made of the likely savings to the public purse arising from the reconstitution of the Pesticide Residues Committee as a committee of experts in the next five financial years;
	(18)  what estimate she has made of the likely savings to the public purse arising from the abolition of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution in the next five financial years;
	(19)  what estimate she has made of the likely savings to the public purse arising from the abolition of the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee in the next five financial years;
	(20)  what estimate she has made of the likely savings to the public purse arising from the reconstitution of the Veterinary Residues Committee as a committee of experts in the next five financial years;
	(21)  what estimate she has made of the likely savings to the public purse arising from the reconstitution of the Zoos Forum as a committee of experts in the next five financial years;
	(22)  what estimate she has made of the potential savings to the public purse of the reconstitution of the Farm Animal Welfare Council as a committee of experts in the next five financial years;
	(23)  what estimate she has made of the likely savings to the public purse of the abolition of the Expert Panel on Air Quality Standards in the next five financial years.

Richard Benyon: Estimates we have made of savings to the public purse from changes to DEFRA's arm's length bodies over each of the next five years are given in the following table.
	The timescale for implementing the decisions on arm's length bodies announced by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General on 14 October 2010,  Official Report, columns 505-06, will vary for each body and depend on legislative or administrative processes.
	The proposed changes to DEFRA's arm's length bodies will contribute modest savings. The main benefits of the arm's length bodies reform proposals are to increase their transparency and accountability. Where bodies are to be reconstituted as expert committees we do not envisage significant financial savings to be generated.
	The 2011-12 budgets for the new committees have not been agreed and will be fixed in the light of the Government's spending review.
	
		
			  Body  Saving to public purse over each of the next five years 
			 Advisory Committee on Hazardous Substances Negligible-to be reconstituted as a committee of experts 
			 Advisory Committee on Organic Standards c£40,000 per year 
			 Advisory Committee on Packaging Negligible-to be reconstituted as a committee of experts 
			 Advisory Committee on Pesticides Negligible-to be reconstituted as a committee of experts 
			 Agricultural Dwelling House Advisory Committees c£13,000 per year 
			 Agricultural Wages Board for England and Wales Negligible-changes to include agricultural workers within the scope of national minimum wage legislation expected to be cost neutral 
			 Agricultural Wages Committee c£10,000 per year 
			 Air Quality Expert Group Negligible-to be reconstituted as a committee of experts 
			 Animal Health and Welfare Strategy England Implementation Group Not applicable-body already dissolved 
			 Commission for Rural Communities c£4.5 million of savings per year from 2011-12 but final figure to be determined through the spending review 
			 Committee on Agricultural Valuation Negligible-Committee has not sat for over 10 years 
			 Commons Commissioners Negligible-work of the Commons Commissioners has concluded 
			 Darwin Advisory Committee Negligible-to be reconstituted as a committee of experts 
			 Expert Panel on Air Quality Standards Not applicable-body already dissolved 
			 Farm Animal Welfare Council Negligible-to be reconstituted as a committee of experts 
			 Food from Britain Not applicable-body already dissolved 
			 Inland Waterways Advisory Council c£200,000 per year 
			 National Standing Committee on Farm Animal Genetic Resources Negligible-to be reconstituted as a committee of experts 
			 Pesticide Residues Committee Negligible-to be reconstituted as a committee of experts 
			 Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution c£300,000 per year 
			 Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee Negligible-functions to be transferred to Department of Health 
			 Veterinary Residues Committee Negligible-to be reconstituted as a committee of experts

Public Bodies: Reform

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the statement of 14 October 2010,  Official Report, columns 505-06, on public bodies reform, what estimate she has made of the number of employees to be  (a) redeployed or relocated and  (b) released from their contracts as a result of the abolition or reconstitution of each public body within her Department's area of responsibility so designated in the statement.

Richard Benyon: No estimate has yet been made of the number of employees  (a) to be redeployed or relocated, or  (b) to be released from their contracts as a result of the abolition or reconstitution of each affected public body within DEFRA's area of responsibility.
	DEFRA will work closely with those delivery bodies affected by the announcement on 14 October 2010, with other Departments, devolved Authorities and other bodies to determine which aspects of work will need to continue, and to identify those employees in scope to be either redeployed and/or relocated, or to be released from their contracts.

Rural Communities: Comprehensive Spending Review

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the nature of rural communities is reflected in the outcome of the comprehensive spending review.

Richard Benyon: It is the responsibility of every Government Department to ensure that the needs and interests of rural people, businesses and communities are addressed fairly in the Spending Review. DEFRA has supported this by providing each Department with guidance to assist them in carrying out analysis of whether rural and urban communities will be affected in different ways by spending decisions, and by providing Her Majesty's Treasury with advice to help it identify potential adverse rural impacts of these decisions. DEFRA officials will continue to assist Departments in understanding the likely rural impacts as the Spending Review is implemented.

Water Charges

Geoffrey Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  if she will assess the feasibility of a national social tariff for water charges;
	(2)  what discussions she has had with Ofwat on a national social tariff for water charges.

Richard Benyon: In the final report of her independent Review of charging for household water and sewerage services, Anna Walker made a range of recommendations on water affordability generally, and more specifically in relation to affordability issues in the South West.
	As recommended by Anna Walker, Ofwat is looking into the specific South West recommendations. I have met with Ofwat to discuss its initial findings, and we are awaiting its final advice ahead of public consultation on this and other key issues raised in the Walker Review.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the likely effectiveness of the Government's strategy in Helmand province to December 2014.

Alistair Burt: Our objectives in Helmand province are closely co-ordinated with coalition partners and the Government of Afghanistan and are set out in the jointly-agreed Helmand Plan. Progress will continue to be monitored on a quarterly basis. We are currently working with our Afghan partners to develop a joint Helmand Inteqal (Transition) Plan for the period 2011-14. This plan will be an agreed strategy for taking Helmand to the point at which full responsibility for security will transfer to the Afghans. The plan will include milestones and mechanisms for measuring its effectiveness. There is clear evidence of progress already made in Helmand over recent months, particularly in central Helmand, for example in Lashkar Gah, Nawa and Garmsir.

Azerbaijan: Foreign Relations

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his most recent assessment is of the state of relations between the UK and Azerbaijan.

David Lidington: Relations between the UK and Azerbaijan are excellent. During my visit to Azerbaijan on 20-21 October I had an opportunity to discuss the expanding links between our two countries with President Aliyev and members of his government. British companies are the largest investors in Azerbaijan, and my visit supported further investment. The UK and Azerbaijan work together on a range of issues of mutual interest, including cultural exchanges.
	As part of our strong relationship, we continue to remind Azerbaijan that the modern, prosperous future that it seeks would be supported by further economic and democratic reforms and peace with its neighbours. I raised this, and the importance of fair elections in November, during my visit.

Bahrain: Politics and government

Conor Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he  (a) plans to make and  (b) has made representations to the Kingdom of Bahrain on the forthcoming elections to the Nuwab Council.

Alistair Burt: We welcome the holding of elections in the Kingdom of Bahrain. We will be closely following the elections and look forward to working with new members of the Nuwab Council. We maintain a regular high-level dialogue with the Government of the Kingdom of Bahrain on a wide variety of issues including their political reform programme and elections.

British Nationals Abroad: Prisoners

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his most recent estimate is of the number of British citizens being held as  (a) prisoners and  (b) political prisoners in each country.

Jeremy Browne: The following table gives the latest detainee figures which show a snap shot of British nationals in detention whom we have assisted, as of 31 March 2010. We do not hold a separate figure for political prisoners.
	
		
			  Half-yearly detainee figures as at 31 March 2010 
			  Country  FCO post  Males  Female  Total 
			 Afghanistan Kabul 6 0 6 
			 Albania Tirana 3 0 3 
			 Algeria Algiers 1 0 1 
			 Angola Luanda 0 0 0 
			 Argentina Buenos Aires 9 3 12 
			 Armenia Yerevan 0 0 0 
			 Australia Sydney 111 3 114 
			  Brisbane 59 3 62 
			  Canberra 0 0 0 
			  Perth 18 2 20 
			  Melbourne 84 7 91 
			 Austria Vienna 3 1 4 
			 Azerbaijan Baku 1 0 1 
			 Bahrain Bahrain 2 0 2 
			 Bangladesh Dhaka 0 0 0 
			 Barbados Bridgetown 6 7 13 
			  St Vincent and the Grenadines 0 0 0 
			  St Kitts 1 0 1 
			  Antigua 5 0 5 
			  Grenada 1 5 6 
			  Dominica 1 0 1 
			 Belarus Minsk 0 0 0 
			 Belgium Brussels 12 0 12 
			 Belize Belmopan 0 0 0 
			 Bolivia La Paz 1 1 2 
			 Bosnia and Herzegovina Sarajevo 0 0 0 
			 Botswana Gaborone 0 0 0 
			 Brazil Brasilia 2 0 2 
			  Rio de Janeiro 8 4 12 
			  Sao Paulo 13 10 23 
			 Brunei Bandar Seri Begawan 0 0 0 
			 Bulgaria Sofia 1 0 1 
			 Burma Rangoon 0 0 0 
			 Cambodia Phnom Penh 8 0 8 
			 Cameroon Yaoundé 0 0 0 
			 Canada Ottawa 1 0 1 
			  Montreal 3 0 3 
			  Toronto 17 1 18 
			  Vancouver 12 0 12 
			 Chile Santiago 1 0 1 
			 China Beijing 2 0 2 
			  Chongqing 0 0 0 
			  Shanghai 3 0 3 
			  Guangzhou 1 1 2 
			  Hong Kong 15 4 19 
			 Colombia Bogota 4 0 4 
			  Cali 0 0 0 
			  Cartagena 0 0 0 
			  Medellin 0 0 0 
			 Congo (Democratic Rep) Kinshasa 1 0 1 
			 Costa Rica San José 3 0 3 
			 Croatia Zagreb 1 0 1 
			 Cuba Havana 0 0 0 
			 Cyprus Nicosia 11 0 11 
			 Czech Republic Prague 1 0 1 
			 Denmark Copenhagen 3 0 3 
			 Dominican Republic Santo Domingo 12 2 14 
			 Ecuador Quito 8 2 10 
			 Egypt Alexandria 0 0 0 
			  Cairo 21 3 24 
			 Eritrea Asmara 0 0 0 
			 Estonia Tallinn 2 0 2 
			 Ethiopia Addis Ababa 3 3 6 
			 Fiji Suva 1 0 1 
			 Finland Helsinki 1 0 1 
			 France Bordeaux 19 0 19 
			  Lille 37 0 37 
			  Lyon 6 1 7 
			  Marseille 13 0 13 
			  Paris 55 2 57 
			 Gambia Banjul 1 1 2 
			 Georgia Tbilisi 0 0 0 
			 Germany Berlin 56 1 57 
			  Dusseldorf 46 6 52 
			  Munich 14 1 15 
			 Ghana Accra 5 0 5 
			 Greece Athens 13 2 15 
			  Corfu 0 0 0 
			  Heraklion 1 0 1 
			  Rhodes 0 0 0 
			  Thessaloniki 0 0 0 
			  Zakynthos 0 0 0 
			 Guatemala Guatemala City 2 0 2 
			 Guyana Georgetown 3 3 6 
			  Suriname 1 1 2 
			 Hungary Budapest 1 0 1 
			 Iceland Reykjavik 0 0 0 
			 India Chennai 0 0 0 
			  Kolkata 0 0 0 
			  Mumbai 4 0 4 
			  New Delhi 8 0 8 
			  Goa 2 0 2 
			 Indonesia Jakarta 11 0 11 
			 Iran Tehran 1 1 2 
			 Iraq Baghdad 2 0 2 
			 Ireland Dublin 90 11 101 
			 Israel Tel Aviv 1 0 1 
			 Italy Florence 3 0 3 
			  Milan 9 2 11 
			  Naples 7 0 7 
			  Venice 3 0 3 
			  Rome 9 2 11 
			 Jamaica Kingston 41 24 65 
			 Japan Tokyo 16 3 19 
			  Osaka 10 0 10 
			 Jerusalem Jerusalem 0 0 0 
			 Jordan Amman 0 0 0 
			 Kazakhstan Almaty 0 0 0 
			 Kenya Nairobi 2 0 2 
			 Korea (North) Pyongyang 0 0 0 
			 Korea (South) Seoul 1 0 1 
			 Kuwait Kuwait city 8 3 11 
			 Latvia Riga 1 0 1 
			 Lebanon Beirut 0 1 1 
			 Libya Tripoli 0 0 0 
			 Lithuania Vilnius 0 0 0 
			 Luxembourg Luxembourg 3 0 3 
			 Macedonia Skopje 0 0 0 
			 Malawi Lilongwe 0 0 0 
			 Malaysia Kuala Lumpur 2 0 2 
			 Malta Valletta 8 1 9 
			 Mauritius Port Louis 0 0 0 
			 Mexico Mexico city 0 1 1 
			  Cancun 0 0 0 
			 Moldova Chisinau 0 0 0 
			 Mongolia Ulaanbaatar 1 0 1 
			 Montenegro Podgorica 1 0 1 
			 Morocco Rabat 3 0 3 
			  Marrakech 0 0 0 
			  Tangier 6 2 8 
			 Mozambique Maputo 0 0 0 
			 Namibia Windhoek 1 0 1 
			 Nepal Kathmandu 1 0 1 
			 Netherlands Amsterdam 32 1 33 
			 New Zealand Wellington 7 0 7 
			 Nigeria Lagos 0 0 0 
			 Norway Oslo 30 4 34 
			 Oman Muscat 5 0 5 
			 Pakistan Islamabad 25 0 25 
			  Karachi 2 0 2 
			 Panama Panama city 8 2 10 
			 Papua New Guinea Port Moresby 0 1 1 
			 Peru Lima 31 3 34 
			 Philippines Manila 19 0 19 
			 Poland Warsaw 3 0 3 
			 Portugal Lisbon 13 1 14 
			  Oporto 1 2 3 
			  Funchal 6 0 6 
			  Portimao 2 0 2 
			 Qatar Doha 4 0 4 
			 Romania Bucharest 4 0 4 
			 Russia Moscow 0 0 0 
			  St Petersburg 0 0 0 
			  Ekaterinburg 0 0 0 
			 Rwanda Kigali 0 0 0 
			 St Lucia Castries 4 0 4 
			 Saudi Arabia Riyadh 3 0 3 
			 Senegal Dakar 3 0 3 
			 Serbia Belgrade 3 0 3 
			  Pristina 0 0 0 
			 Seychelles Victoria 0 0 0 
			 Sierra Leone Freetown 1 0 1 
			 Singapore Singapore 4 0 4 
			 Slovakia Bratislava 1 0 1 
			 Slovenia Ljubljana 2 0 2 
			 Solomon Islands Honiara 0 0 0 
			 South Africa Cape Town 6 1 7 
			  Pretoria 6 2 8 
			 Spain Alicante 36 2 38 
			  Barcelona 22 2 24 
			  Ibiza 9 0 9 
			  Las Palmas 13 0 13 
			  Madrid 70 8 78 
			  Malaga 144 5 149 
			  Palma 18 0 18 
			  Tenerife 16 1 17 
			 Sri Lanka Colombo 4 0 4 
			 Sudan Khartoum 0 0 0 
			 Sweden Stockholm 22 2 24 
			 Switzerland Berne 6 0 6 
			  Geneva 3 0 3 
			 Syria Damascus 5 1 6 
			 Taiwan Taipei 18 0 18 
			 Tajikistan Dushanbe 0 0 0 
			 Tanzania Dar Es Salaam 1 0 1 
			 Thailand Bangkok 87 1 88 
			  Chiang Mai 2 0 2 
			  Laos 1 0 1 
			 Trinidad and Tobago Port of Spain 7 7 14 
			 Tunisia Tunis 2 1 3 
			 Turkey Ankara 3 0 3 
			  Bodrum 3 3 6 
			  Istanbul 4 5 9 
			  Izmir 1 0 1 
			  Antalya 3 0 3 
			  Marmaris 2 0 2 
			  Fethiye 0 0 0 
			 Turkmenistan Ashgabat 0 0 0 
			 Uganda Kampala 0 0 0 
			 Ukraine Kiev 0 0 0 
			 United Arab Emirates Abu Dhabi 18 1 19 
			  Dubai 33 3 36 
			 USA Atlanta 61 7 68 
			  Boston 31 2 33 
			  Chicago 32 4 36 
			  Houston 84 4 88 
			  Los Angeles 95 6 101 
			  New York 87 8 95 
			  Orlando 89 18 107 
			  San Francisco 79 8 87 
			  Washington 32 5 37 
			 Uruguay Montevideo 0 0 0 
			 Uzbekistan Tashkent 1 0 1 
			 Venezuela Caracas 11 3 14 
			 Vietnam Hanoi 1 1 2 
			 Yemen Sanaa 1 0 1 
			 Zambia Lusaka 0 0 0 
			 Zimbabwe Harare 0 0 0 
			 Total 219 2,393 256 2,649

Civil Liberties : Zimbabwe

Nicky Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on civil rights in Zimbabwe.

Henry Bellingham: We regularly receive reports on civil rights in Zimbabwe, from non-governmental organisations working within Zimbabwe and from our embassy in Harare. Recent examples include analyses of Zimbabwe's media and of constraints on freedom of expression during the constitutional outreach process.
	We welcome the opening up of space for civil society, which remains a strong force in Zimbabwe, but are concerned that human rights abuses continue, particularly around the rule of law. Repressive legislation and limited media freedom are outstanding issues which affect all Zimbabweans. We continue to call, both bilaterally and with EU member states, for the restoration of internationally accepted civil and political rights standards in Zimbabwe.

Departmental Private Education

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department spent on continuity of education allowance at  (a) Charterhouse School,  (b) Dulwich College,  (c) Eton College,  (d) Harrow School,  (e) Marlborough College,  (f) Rugby School,  (g) Westminster School,  (h) Winchester College,  (i) Cheltenham Ladies College,  (j) Roedean School,  (k) St Paul's School,  (l) Fettes College and  (m) Gordonstoun School in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Alistair Burt: It is a condition of their employment that members of the diplomatic service must be prepared to serve anywhere in the world at any time during their career, sometimes at very short notice. Those with children have a legal obligation as parents to ensure that their children receive a full-time education from the age of five years. Most parents prefer to take their children with them abroad, but in some countries we do not permit staff to take their children either for health or security reasons. In others, local schools of an acceptable standard are not available. It is long-standing practice that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) helps staff meet their potentially conflicting obligations by providing financial support for their children's education in the UK where staff choose this, or are obliged to do so given local conditions in the country to which they are posted. Continuity of education is also an important factor, particularly at secondary level.
	The FCO refunds standard term fees up to a ceiling which is reviewed annually. Staff choosing a more expensive school must pay the difference in cost themselves. The maximum amount the FCO will pay is determined by an independent survey conducted by ECA International, which is used by public and private sector employers whose staff work across the world. Various factors, including availability of places (sometimes at short notice) and proximity of other family members, influence which schools staff choose for their children. The FCO would allow staff children to attend the schools listed but would only refund fees up to the ceiling. The ceiling figure for a senior boarder for the academic year 2010-11 is £8,236 per term. All but one of the schools named in the question charge fees above the ceiling, so parents using these schools would have to contribute to the fees.
	We cannot provide details of payments made in connection with specific schools. This is necessary to avoid disclosures that could identify individual members of staff and their families.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with  (a) the Chancellor of the Exchequer and  (b) the Secretary of State for International Development on reductions to his Department's expenditure in 2010-11.

Alistair Burt: My right hon. Friends the Foreign Secretary, the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for International Development have discussions in the normal course of business on the work and resources of the Government overseas.

Diplomatic Immunity

David Nuttall: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to how many foreign  (a) diplomatic staff and  (b) members of the household of such staff his Department had granted diplomatic immunity on the latest date for which figures are available.

Alistair Burt: The foreign diplomatic community in the UK numbers around 25,000, inclusive of dependants.

Falkland Islands: Oil

Conor Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions Ministers in his Department have had with the government of  (a) the Falkland Islands and  (b) Argentina on oil exploration in the waters around the Falkland Islands.

Jeremy Browne: There is a very regular dialogue between Ministers and officials and the Falkland Islands Government on oil exploration issues. I have discussed oil exploration, along with many other issues, when I have met Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly Members.
	Ministers of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have had no recent direct discussions with Argentina on oil exploration in the waters around the Falkland Islands. In 2007, Argentina chose to withdraw from a 1995 Joint Declaration on Hydrocarbons Co-operation in the South Atlantic. We remain keen to foster a constructive relationship with Argentina in the South Atlantic.

Falkland Islands: Sovereignty

Conor Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has received recent representations from the government of Argentina on the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands.

Jeremy Browne: The Government of Argentina make regular protests and representations on the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands. The most recent example, dated 20 October 2010, is an Argentine reply to a United Kingdom reply to an original Argentine protest note concerning floating scientific data collecting buoys in Falkland Islands waters. While small details of the United Kingdom's responses to these representations may change, the main substance does not; the United Kingdom has no doubt about its sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, and the principle of self determination, enshrined in the UN charter, underlies this position. There can be no negotiations on sovereignty unless and until the islanders so wish.

Henderson Island

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent steps his Department has taken to preserve biodiversity on Henderson Island.

Henry Bellingham: The UK Government are aware of the challenges the Overseas Territories face in their responsibility to preserve their biodiversity, and we work alongside Overseas Territory Governments to provide support and assistance in areas where they need help.
	On Henderson Island, the UK Government are working closely with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), the Pitcairn Government and others to eradicate rats and on 18 October the RSPB announced plans to proceed with a rat eradication programme in the summer of 2011. The Overseas Territories Environment Programme has provided £188,000 of funding to RSPB since 2007 for work towards the eradication of rats from Henderson and a further £103,000 has been committed for the implementation phase. In addition to this, I recently co-hosted with the RSPB a reception in support of Henderson Island World Heritage Site, providing it with a prestigious venue to present to potential donors.

Iran: Baha'i Faith

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment his Department has made of the human rights situation of the Baha'i population in Iran.

Alistair Burt: We remain concerned for the Baha'i community in Iran. During meetings with the Iranian ambassador, I have made clear my concerns over the reduced rights and continuing harassment of members of the Baha'i community, including the imprisonment of the seven leaders of the Baha'i community. We will continue to remind Iran of the international commitments it has freely signed up to, and urge the Iranian Government to cease its harassment of the Baha'i minority, and to respect the rights of all minority groups.

Ministers: Pay

Mike Gapes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of ministerial salaries in his Department in 2010-11.

Alistair Burt: It is estimated that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office will spend £187,514 on ministerial salaries in 2010-11.

Nagorno-Karabakh

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent progress has been made in the OSCE Minsk Group discussions on the future of Nagorno-Karabakh.

David Lidington: The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe Minsk Group continues to encourage all parties to commit to a durable, peaceful settlement of the conflict, and to reduce tensions along the Line of Contact that separates the two sides.
	The Minsk Group co-chairs (from France, the US and Russia) visited Baku, Yerevan, Nagorno-Karabakh and conflict-affected parts of Azerbaijan on their recent Field Assessment Mission on 4-13 October. They used the visit to reinforce the need for increased dialogue between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The UK continues to support the work of the Minsk Group.

Pitcairn Islands

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Minister for Overseas Territories plans to visit the Pitcairn Islands in 2010-11.

Henry Bellingham: Since 2009 we have improved access to Pitcairn by providing a regular shipping service with the charter of MV Claymore. Despite this, getting to and from Pitcairn remains difficult and time-consuming. It is, therefore, unlikely that I shall be able to visit the island in 2010-11.

Pitcairn Islands

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the state of UK relations with the Pitcairn Islands; and if he will make a statement.

Henry Bellingham: Following extensive consultation between the UK Government and the people of Pitcairn, a new governance structure was introduced in April 2009 and a new Constitution in March 2010. The Government of the Pitcairn Islands is now in better shape than before to respond to the many governance challenges it faces.
	A Foreign and Commonwealth Office official is based on the island providing liaison with the Governor's Office and a sizeable community of "off-islander" professionals provide law and order, health and social welfare services. The Government provides budgetary aid of around £2 million per year-for the island population which is around 50-to cover 98% of Pitcairn's budgetary needs. The Wellington-based Governor and Deputy Governor visit at least once a year and, on her visit to the island in September 2010, our current Governor discussed with the community ongoing development work to move Pitcairn towards greater self-sustainability, including the Government's investment in a windpower project to reduce its reliance on diesel.

Pitcairn Islands

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his international counterparts on the Pitcairn Islands.

Henry Bellingham: Our main international interlocutor in discussions regarding Pitcairn is New Zealand. My officials regularly liaise with, and are assisted by, New Zealand colleagues over a range of supply and support issues that affect Pitcairn. These include policing, the judiciary, and social welfare. Officials have also been in close contact with French and French Polynesian colleagues over medical evacuation and shipping issues. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I have not been involved in any of these discussions ourselves.

Uganda: Human Rights

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on  (a) freedom of speech in Uganda and  (b) confiscation by the Ugandan authorities of copies of The Correct Line, Uganda under Museveni, by Dr Olive Kobusingye; and if he will make a statement.

Henry Bellingham: Freedom of expression is a right recognised by the Constitution of Uganda. I am encouraged by some reports of progress in upholding this right, including the recent abolition of the crime of sedition by the Constitutional Court of Uganda, and continuing evidence of free and lively debate in Uganda's media. But I am concerned by reports of restrictions on freedom of expression, including the impounding by the Uganda Revenue Authority at Entebbe Airport of a shipment of Dr Kobusingye's book "The Correct Line, Uganda under Museveni".
	I understand that the Ugandan Minister of Internal Affairs, in a statement to the Ugandan Parliament on 19 October 2010, said that Dr Kobusingye's book had been impounded because of irregularities in the shipping documentation. This contradicted an earlier statement to Parliament by the Minister, in which he suggested that the shipment had been impounded for security reasons. I understand that part of the shipment has now been released and that Uganda's  Daily Monitor newspaper is serialising Dr Kobusingye's book for a wide readership.
	We will continue to raise the importance of upholding fundamental rights, including freedom of expression, with the Government of Uganda. This will be particularly important as Uganda prepares for presidential and parliamentary elections in 2011.

Uganda: Politics and Government

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the treatment by Ugandan police of Dr Kizza Besigye on 9 June 2010; what assessment he has made of  (a) the extent of implementation in Uganda of the 2006 recommendations of the EU and the Commonwealth on the Electoral Commission and  (b) the prospect of free, fair and peaceful elections in Uganda; and if he will make a statement.

Henry Bellingham: On 9 June 2010, an opposition rally in Kampala led by Dr Kizza Besigye was broken up by the police. Members of a vigilante group known as the 'Kiboko Squad' assaulted Dr Besigye and other demonstrators. Members of the Kiboko Squad were arrested following the assault but were subsequently released without charge. We have raised concerns directly with the head of Uganda's police and the Ugandan Government about the activities of the Kiboko Squad. We have also raised the importance of the police balancing its responsibility to maintain order with its duty to act as an independent body that respects the freedoms of expression and assembly.
	We assess that Uganda has made some progress in improving the framework for its next elections in 2011, partly in response to the recommendations of the Observation Missions to the 2006 elections. These include amendments to electoral legislation and update of the voter register. We do however retain concerns about the evenness of the playing field between Government and Opposition, and challenges to freedom of expression and assembly. It will be particularly important to the prospects for free, fair and peaceful elections in 2011 that Uganda's Electoral Commission and the Ugandan police force demonstrate their independence and competence during the campaign period and in the organisation of the polls.
	We are providing a range of assistance to support democratisation in Uganda, including technical support to the Electoral Commission through a Deepening Democracy Programme funded by the Department for International Development. We will also continue to raise the importance of free, fair and peaceful elections with the Ugandan authorities and Uganda's political leaders. I did so myself with President Museveni and Professor Ogenga Latigo, the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, when I visited Uganda in July.

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which programmes and projects he has funded to raise awareness of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child overseas in the last five years.

Jeremy Browne: There are a number of funding sources within the Foreign and Commonwealth Office which support the promotion of human rights around the world. This includes the Strategic Programme Fund for Human Rights and Democracy, which has as one of its key objectives the supporting of programmes and projects which promote the rights of the child. Many of our missions overseas use their Bilateral Programme Budget funds to promote the rights of children within their host countries. However, we do not centrally record specific child related projects that raise awareness of the convention as distinct from other objectives.
	The UK also currently provides over £2.5 million in voluntary contributions to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Some of this funding is used by the Office to support its work in monitoring and implementing the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Departmental Contracts

Andrew Bingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of quality management statements in assisting with contract decisions by his Department; and what assessment he has made of the effects on the prospects for small businesses of winning contracts of such statements.

Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change assesses quality statements at pre-qualification and tender stages and uses these to evaluate both the ability of the company to deliver the project and any value for money implications. A wide range of suppliers including small businesses have proved themselves successful in satisfying the requirements of quality management statements.

Departmental Pay

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many officials in his Department received bonuses and other payments in each year since the Department's inception; and what the monetary value was of the largest 20 payments made in each such year.

Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) was created in October 2008. An element of DECC's overall pay award is allocated to in year and end of year non consolidated performance awards. These payments are used to drive high performance and are paid to members of staff who demonstrate exceptional performance, for example by exceeding targets set or meeting challenging objectives.
	The following table shows the number of in year performance awards (figures based on the financial year) and end of year performance awards (based on due date of 1 April (SCS) and 1 August (non SCS) each year) that were awarded and the value of the largest 20 payments in each year.
	
		
			   Number of recipients receiving an in year or end of year award  20 highest payments 
			 2008(1) 172 Awards ranged from 192 to £2,500 Highest 20 values were: £2,500 x 1, £1,000 x 2, £950 x 2, £750 x 11, £700 x 4 
			 2009 672 (comprising of 362 end of year awards) for performance during 2008-09 Awards ranged from £100 to £13,500 Highest 20 values were awarded as non consolidated end of year performance awards and were: £13,500 x l, £12,500 x 4, £12,000 x 1, £10,500 x 1, £10,000 x 12, £9,000 x 1 
			 2010(2) 141 (comprising of 49 end of year awards) for performance during 2009-10 Awards ranged from £100 to £12,500 Highest 20 values were awarded as non consolidated end of year performance awards and were: £12,500 x 1, £10,000 x 5, £7,500 x 13, £7,000 x l 
			 (1) Figures only include in year awards as no end of year awards were payable by DECC for the 2008 period. (2) Figures only include in year and SCS end of year awards as the end of year awards for non SCS staff have not yet been paid.

Departmental Recruitment

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many senior civil service staff his Department has recruited in each year since its inception; at what cost to the public purse such recruitment was undertaken in each such year; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: DECC was created in October 2008. In 2009 we held five senior civil service open competitions at a total cost of £220,212.45.
	In 2010 we held one open competition at a cost of £25,675.70.
	Open competitions were held to ensure that DECC recruited the best available candidates to take forward its new remit.

Fuel Poverty: West Midlands

Chris White: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent estimate he has made of the number and proportion of households in Warwick and Leamington constituency in fuel poverty where all members of the household are over the age of 65.

Gregory Barker: Sub-regional fuel poverty figures are not available split by age.
	The most recently available sub-regional split of fuel poverty relates to 2006, and shows that there were around 6,600 fuel poor households across all age groups in the Warwick and Leamington constituency. This represents around 14% of all households.

Nuclear Power Stations: Insolvency

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his policy is on the Government's position as operator of last resort in the event of the insolvency of a private owner of a nuclear installation.

Charles Hendry: Safety and security of nuclear installations are of paramount importance and would be key considerations for Government in the event that a nuclear operator became insolvent. The Government would of course consider each case in its specific circumstances and context.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Economic Situation: Northern Ireland

Shaun Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the likely growth in the private sector of the Northern Ireland economy in each of the next three years;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the likely effects on the number of jobs in the  (a) private and  (b) public sector in Northern Ireland of the spending reductions announced in the Comprehensive Spending Review.

Owen Paterson: It is now for Northern Ireland Ministers to set their budgets following the Spending Review announcement. The impact of the Spending Review on both the public and private sectors will depend on their decisions.
	We are working closely with HM Treasury and Northern Ireland Executive Ministers on our shared objective of rebalancing the Northern Ireland economy on the basis of sustained growth in the private sector, and the Treasury will be publishing a consultation paper about this later in the year.

Intelligence Services: Northern Ireland

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 11 October 2010,  Official Report, column 516W, on the intelligence services, on what date each meeting at ministerial level was held in the last 12 months; and who attended each such meeting.

Owen Paterson: The interface between my national security responsibilities and the responsibilities of the Northern Ireland Minister of Justice is facilitated by regular meetings between us. Representatives of the PSNI also attend. They have taken place on 19 May, 18 June, 27 July and 20 September 2010. They are supplemented by ad hoc consultation and information exchange as and when required.

WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

Departmental Disciplinary Proceedings

Priti Patel: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities how many officials in the Government Equalities Office have been  (a) subject to disciplinary action,  (b) removed from post,  (c) transferred to another position and  (d) dismissed for matters relating to their (i) disciplinary record and (ii) performance in each year since 1997.

Lynne Featherstone: The Government Equalities Office was established in October 2007.
	Since then, three officials have been subject to disciplinary action (one in 2008; two in 2009).
	No officials have been removed from post, transferred to another Department or dismissed for matters relating to their disciplinary record or performance.
	No disciplinary cases have occurred in 2010.

Departmental Sick Leave

Priti Patel: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities how many days the Government Equalities Office has lost to staff sickness in each year since its inception; and what estimate she made of the cost to her Department of sickness absence in each such year.

Lynne Featherstone: The Government Equalities Office (GEO) was created in October 2007 and sickness absence data for GEO as a separate Department are available from October 2008.
	The total working days lost to sickness absence and the estimated cost to the Department in each successive 12-month period are as follows:
	
		
			  Period  Working days lost  Average gross  cost (£) 
			 October 2008 to October 2009 117 24,060 
			 November 2009 to October 2010 160.5 32,958

Departmental Sick Leave

Priti Patel: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities how many officials in the Government Equalities Office have had  (a) fewer than five days,  (b) five to 10 days,  (c) 10 to 15 days,  (d) 15 to 20 days,  (e) 20 to 25 days,  (f) 25 to 50 days,  (g) 50 to 75 days,  (h) 75 to 100 days,  (i) 100 to 150 days,  (j) 150 to 200 days,  (k) more than 200 days,  (l) more than three months,  (m) more than six months and  (n) one year on paid sick leave (i) consecutively and (ii) in total in each year since its inception.

Lynne Featherstone: The Government Equalities Office (GEO) was created in October 2007 and sickness absence data for GEO as a separate Department are available from October 2008.
	The data requested in each successive 12-month period are as follows:
	
		
			  Number of days  October 2008 to October 2009  November 2009 to October 2010 
			 0-5 29 51 
			 6-10 3 0 
			 11-15 1 1 
			 15-20 0 0 
			 21-25 0 1 
			 26-50 0 1 
			 51-75 1 0 
			 76-100 0 0 
			 101-150 0 2 
			 151-200 0 0 
			 201+ 0 0

Human Rights

Priti Patel: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what estimate she has made of the cost to the Government Equalities Office of compliance with  (a) domestic,  (b) European and  (c) other international human rights requirements in each year since its inception; and if she will make a statement.

Lynne Featherstone: No separate estimates are made of Government Equalities Office costs in these areas.

JUSTICE

Capita

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many contracts his Department has with Capita; and how much it has paid to Capita under such contracts in 2010-11 to date.

Crispin Blunt: The Ministry of Justice has seven formal contracts with Capita Group plc.
	The total spend with Capita Group plc by the Ministry of Justice for the first quarter (April, May, June) 2010-11 was £1,527,592.

Comprehensive Spending Review

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the likely effects on HM Land Registry of the proposed reduction in his Department's budget announced in the comprehensive spending review;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the likely effects on the operations of the Office of the Public Guardian of the proposed reduction in his Department's budget announced in the Comprehensive Spending Review.

Kenneth Clarke: The Ministry of Justice is developing firm plans to deliver its priorities within the funding baselines announced in the spending review. We will be consulting widely on proposals for change but as yet no internal budgets have been set.

Convention on the Rights of the Child

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether the Commission on a British Bill of Rights will consider the extent to which children's rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child are protected in UK law.

Kenneth Clarke: The Government will make a statement to Parliament on the scope of the Commission on a Bill of Rights in due course.

Convictions: Shoplifting

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many convictions there were for offences relating to shop theft in the latest period for which figures are available.

Crispin Blunt: According to data held by the Ministry of Justice, there were 72,813 defendants found guilty at all courts for offences of "stealing from shops and stalls" (shoplifting) under the Theft Act 1968 Sec 1, in England and Wales in 2009. These data, published on 21 October 2010, are the latest available.
	The figure given relates to persons for whom these offences were the principal offence for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences, the offence selected is the one for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.

Courts: Devon and Cornwall

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent assessment he has made of the potential effects on  (a) caseload,  (b) processing times and  (c) the number of adjournments in courts in Devon and Cornwall of HM Courts Service expenditure reductions of (i) 10, (ii) 20 and (iii) 30 per cent.

Jonathan Djanogly: The outcome of the spending review for the Ministry of Justice was announced on 20 October. No assessment has yet been made of the effects of spending reductions on courts in Devon and Cornwall. The Government are committed to ensuring that there is an efficient and effective justice system.

Departmental Disciplinary Proceedings

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many officials in his Department have been  (a) subject to disciplinary action,  (b) removed from post,  (c) transferred to another position and  (d) dismissed for matters relating to their (i) disciplinary record and (ii) performance in each year since its inception.

Kenneth Clarke: The following table provides the numbers of MoJ and National Offender Management Service-NOMS-staff that have been dismissed from March 2007 to March 2010 and the reason for dismissal.
	
		
			  Dismissals  March 2007 to March 2008  April 2008 to March 2009  April 2009 to March 2010 
			 Capability 68 94 93 
			 Conduct 278 182 223 
			 Made redundant 3 32 1 
			 Other dismissals 164 239 236 
		
	
	The following figures provide the numbers of NOMS staff that have been regraded, as a result of disciplinary actions. Please note that NOMS are only able to provide this data from January 2009.
	From 1 January 2009 to 31 March 2009 a total of four employees were downgraded/regraded of 359 employees who underwent conduct and disciplinary proceeding.
	From 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010 a total of 16 employees were downgraded/regraded of 891 employees who underwent conduct and disciplinary proceeding.

Departmental Sick Leave

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice for how many days on average his Department's staff in each pay grade were absent from work as a result of ill health in 2009-10.

Kenneth Clarke: The figures requested are given in the following table:
	
		
			  Grade  Average sickness (days)( 1) 
			 AA 12.3 
			 AO 10.9 
			 EO 8.2 
			 HEO 6.6 
			 SEO 6.0 
			 G7 4.1 
			 G6 3.9 
			 SCS 2.9 
			 Unknown 8.0 
			 All grades 10.0 
			 (1) Average working days lost to sickness per staff year. For year ending 31 March 2010. 
		
	
	Reducing sickness absence is a key priority for managers across MoJ and its agencies. Locally owned targets are in place for all business areas. These are supported by action plans with activities designed to tackle sickness absence through early intervention, continuing effective management of each case and encouraging staff to return to work as soon as they are able.

Departmental Sick Leave

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many days his Department has lost to staff sickness in each year since its inception; and what estimate he made of the cost to his Department of sickness absence in each such year.

Kenneth Clarke: The days lost in the Ministry of Justice due to staff sickness in each year since its inception, were:
	
		
			  April to March each year  Total days lost 
			 2007-08 794,078 
			 2008-09 731,042 
			 2009-10 749,723 
		
	
	The estimated cost, to the Ministry of Justice, for the days lost in each year since its inception is:
	
		
			  April to March each year  Estimated cost (£ million) 
			 2007-08 87.1 
			 2008-09 84.4 
			 2009-10 88.9

Departmental Sick Leave

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many officials in his Department have had  (a) fewer than five days,  (b) five to 10 days,  (c) 10 to 15 days,  (d) 15 to 20 days,  (e) 20 to 25 days,  (f) 25 to 50 days,  (g) 50 to 75 days,  (h) 75 to 100 days,  (i) 100 to 150 days,  (j) 150 to 200 days,  (k) more than 200 days,  (l) more than three months,  (m) more than six months and  (n) one year on paid sick leave (i) consecutively and (ii) in total in each year since 1997.

Kenneth Clarke: In the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) these data are unavailable. Sickness absence data are collated centrally to provide information for management, but they are not reported on in the categories requested. Gathering the data requested would require analysing each notification of sickness absence sent in by managers across MoJ. This could be achieved only at disproportionate cost.
	The Civil Service internet site includes published information in respect of sickness absence for the civil service as a whole, although reports do no go as far back as 1997.

Human Rights

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he made of the cost to his Department and its non-departmental public bodies of compliance with  (a) domestic,  (b) European and  (c) other international human rights requirements in each year since its inception; and if he will make a statement.

Kenneth Clarke: The Ministry of Justice does not collate information on the costs of compliance with human rights requirements. The Ministry takes account of the domestic and international human rights framework in developing all its policies and practices, as it does other relevant legal obligations; an accurate estimate of the total cost of compliance with human rights obligations could not be made without incurring disproportionate cost.

Prisoners

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners refused to comply with direction for a relocation to another prison in the latest period for which figures are available; and for what reason in each case.

Crispin Blunt: Data are not held centrally on the numbers of prisoners who have refused to comply with a move to another prison, nor for what reason they have refused to comply.
	This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost as it would involve a manual trawl through the individual records of every prisoner to ascertain if they were compliant during each move to another prison.

Prisoners' Release

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many and what proportion of prisoners were released  (a) before the scheduled end of sentence,  (b) after the scheduled end of sentence and  (c) on the day scheduled for the end of sentence in each year since 1997.

Crispin Blunt: The following table shows the total number of offenders released from determinate custodial sentences in each year from 1998-2009; the number and proportion who were released before the scheduled end of sentence; and the number and proportion who were released at or after the scheduled end of sentence. This is the most recent data available, and figures for 1997 are not held centrally.
	The term "scheduled end of sentence" has been interpreted as the normal statutory release date when prisoners serving determinate sentences must be released automatically (e.g. the half-way point for prisoners serving a standard determinate sentence under the Criminal Justice Act 2003). Over the period 1998-2009, offenders could be released before their scheduled end of sentence under two early release schemes: Home Detention Curfew (which was introduced in 1999) and End of Custody Licence (which was introduced on 29 June 2007 and withdrawn in March 2010).
	Using the data held centrally, it is not possible to distinguish between those released after and on the day of their scheduled end of sentence. The table therefore shows a total for these two groups.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
	
		
			  Prisoners released from determinate sentences, 1998  to  2009 
			   1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008  2009 
			 Total number released 79,000 85,500 86,200 83,100 86,400 84,800 86,100 84,200 82,400 85,500 94,900 91,200 
			  
			 Releases on Home Detention Curfew (HDC) - 14,847 15,510 13,649 20,456 21,188 19,294 17,296 13,666 11,428 11,721 11,534 
			 Releases on End of Custody Licence (ECL) - - - - - - - - - 16,197 31,318 29,371 
			  
			 Percentage HDC releases - 17 18 16 24 25 22 21 17 13 12 13 
			 Percentage ECL releases - - - - - - - - - 19 33 32 
			  
			 Releases not on HDC or ECL - 70,600 70,700 69,500 65,900 63,600 66,800 66,900 68,700 57,900 51,900 50,300 
			  
			 Percentage releases not HDC or ECL - 83 82 84 76 75 78 79 83 68 55 55 
			  Notes: 1. ECL was introduced on 29 June 2007, so the total number of ECL releases in 2007 covers the period from 29 June-31 December 2007. 2. Figures for the total number of releases and releases not on HDC or ECL are rounded to the nearest 100.

Prisoners: Devon and Cornwall

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what recent assessment he has made of the potential effects on prisoner numbers in Devon and Cornwall of Probation Service expenditure reductions of  (a) 10,  (b) 20 and  (c) 30%;
	(2)  what recent assessment he has made of the potential effects on the  (a) caseload of Devon and Cornwall Probation Service and  (b) provision by that service of (i) court reports and (ii) supervision of people on parole licences of Probation Service spending reductions of (A) 10, (B) 20 and (C) 30%;
	(3)  what recent assessment he has made of the potential effects on  (a) staff headcount and  (b) prisoners in Devon and Cornwall of Probation Service spending reductions of (i) 10, (ii) 20 and (iii) 30%.

Crispin Blunt: To reduce the budget deficit, the Government are examining all areas of public expenditure, including the criminal justice system, to see where savings can be made. Now that the outcome of the Spending Review has been announced, the Ministry of Justice will decide how funding is to be allocated. We will work with Probation Trusts to ensure that they are able to provide the reports requested by the courts and to supervise offenders sentenced to community orders or on release from custody, in accordance with sentencing guidelines.
	Work to protect the public and to reduce re-offending is a key priority. All Probation Trusts should ensure that savings are achieved by streamlining administration and improving working practices. Funding should be focused on front line services, to protect the public and reduce re-offending.

Prisoners: Education

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department spent on education services for prisoners in each year since 1997.

Crispin Blunt: Education services for prisoners are funded by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), devolved to the Skills Funding Agency, formerly the Learning and Skills Council (LSC).
	The Learning and Skills Council assumed responsibility for planning and funding the integrated Offender Learning and Skills Service (OLASS) in England on 31 July 2006. OLASS funds the delivery of skills for offenders (aged 15 and over) held in English Public Sector prisons for both sentenced prisoners and those held on remand.
	In Wales, from April 2006, commissioning responsibilities for offender learning and skills provision became the responsibility of Director of Offender Management in Wales. Responsibilities for learning and skills provision for those in custody in Wales transferred to the Welsh Assembly Government with effect from 1 April 2009.
	Data are available on spend since 2001. The following Table 1 includes spend directly relating to the OLASS provision and also spend associated with the employment of Heads of Learning and Skills in prisons, libraries and Higher Education in public sector prisons in England and Wales.
	
		
			  Table 1 
			   Total spend (£ million) 
			 2001-02 57 
			 2002-03 73 
			 2003-04 116 
			 2004-05 126 
			 2005-06 151 
			 2006-07 156 
			 2007-08 161 
			 2008-09 171 
			 2009-10 181 
		
	
	£29 million of the growth between 2005-06 and 2009-10 (inclusive) was as a result of additional education allocations to support the places flowing from the prison Capacity Programme.
	The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) provides both physical resources and staff to support educational activities for prisoners. It is not possible to separately identify these costs which are not held centrally.
	Training for prisoners is undertaken, mainly by Prison Service staff, while prisoners work or are engaged in various areas such as prison industries, catering, physical education, land based activities, industrial cleaning and laundries. The central costs of the training elements of these, mainly production functions, are not kept centrally.
	NOMS gained co-financing organisation status in January 2009 and successfully bid for a total of £50 million of European Social Funding to enhance the skills and employment services to offenders in prison and the community. NOMS has been granted the funding over 27 months to increase offenders' employability and improve their access to mainstream support provision. Funding has been extended into a second phase up to 2013.

Prisoners: Education

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners were engaged in education services in each year since 1997; and what the average cost to the public purse per prisoner was of providing such services.

Crispin Blunt: The information requested is not held.
	The Skills Funding Agency is able to provide information on the number of learners engaged in learning and skills provision funded by the Skills Funding Agency, (formerly the Learning and Skills Council) from the Individualised Learner Records (ILR), and the budget allocated by Department for Education and Skills/Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills/Youth Justice Board in the 2006/07 academic year (August 2006 to July 2007), in the 2007/08 academic year (August 2007 to July 2008) and in the 2008/09 academic year (August 2008 to July 2009).
	In the 2006/07 academic year, there were 92,371 learners engaged in learning and skills provision, funded by the Learning and Skills Council and the total budget allocated for the same period was £123 million(1). The average cost per learner was £1,327.
	In the 2007/08 academic year, there were 115,807 learners engaged in learning and skills provision in custody, funded by the Learning and Skills Council and the total budget allocated for the same period was £142 million(1). The average cost per learner was £1,224.
	In the 2008/09 academic year, there were 98,324 learners engaged in learning and skills provision in custody funded by the Learning and Skills Council and the total budget allocated for the same period was £160 million(1). The average cost per learner was £1,631.
	(1)( )Direct Offenders Learning and Skills Service (OLASS) spend only. This does not include libraries, Heads of Learning and Skills and associated costs.
	 Note:
	The number of learners and the Offenders' Learning and Skills budget identified includes those for Young Offenders aged 15-17. The Offenders Learning and Skills budget also includes spends on Information Advice and Guidance (IAG) service which was an integral part of OLASS contracts.

Prisoners: Food

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department spent on food and refreshment services for prisoners  (a) in total,  (b) per prisoner per meal and  (c) per prisoner per day in each year since 1997.

Crispin Blunt: The full cost of providing meals and beverages for prisoners in public sector prisons in England and Wales includes a number of elements. These include staff and prisoner labour, food, training (staff and prisoner), kitchen and servery facilities, utilities and other overheads, including management overheads, and all of these costs are not collected centrally.
	It is however possible to separately identify the cost of food (including beverages-see Table 1. Responsibility for determining the establishment food budget lies with the governing Governor who will set aside a realistic sum that will meet the dietary needs of the population of the establishment.
	Prisons provide breakfast, lunch and dinner together with all condiments and beverages. The estimated average food cost per meal per prisoner is based on the understanding that breakfast, lunch and dinner account for approximately 20%, 40% and 40% of the daily food expenditure. But these percentages will vary from one establishment to another and are for illustrative purposes only.
	
		
			  Table 1 
			(£) 
			Per prisoner per meal (for illustration only)  
			  Year ending 31 March  Estimated total( 1)   (£ million)  Breakfast  Lunch  Dinner  Estimated average daily food expenditure per prisoner( 1) 
			 2010 60 0.44 0.88 0.88 2.20 
			 2009 62 0.46 0.92 0.92 2.31 
			 2008 56 0.42 0.85 0.85 2.12 
			 2007 51 0.39 0.79 0.79 1.97 
			 2006 49 0.39 0.77 0.77 1.93 
			 2005 43 0.36 0.73 0.73 1.87 
			 2004 45 0.36 0.72 0.72 1.81 
			 2003 42 0.34 0.69 0.69 1.72 
			 2002 40 0.35 0.70 0.70 1.74 
			 2001 34 0.33 0.66 0.66 1.64 
			 2000 35 0.29 0.58 0.58 1.46 
			 1999 35 0.29 0.58 0.58 1.44 
			 1998 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 1997 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 n/a = Not available. (1) The data have been calculated using available management information from the NOMS finance systems and assumes that all transactions have been allocated and recorded against the correct accounting codes.

Prisoners: Housing

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average cost to the public purse per day of housing a prisoner in each category was in each year since 1997.

Crispin Blunt: The average direct establishment cost of keeping a person in prison for the years from 1997 is as detailed in the following table.
	These average costs comprise the prison establishments' direct resource expenditure as published in the Annual Report and Accounts of Her Majesty's Prison Service (HMPS) (or for 2008-9 in an addendum to the NOMS Agency Annual Report and Accounts). Costs are allocated to categories on the basis of the major use of each prison at the end of each year.
	In addition, for the two years 2007-08 and 2008-09 an overall cost per prisoner has been calculated and is included in the table. The overall average costs comprise the public and private sector establishments' direct resource expenditure, increased by an apportionment of costs borne centrally by HMPS and the National Offender Management Service. This involves some estimation. The figures do not include prisoners held in police and court cells under Operation Safeguard, nor expenditure met by other Government Departments (e.g. for health and education). The prisoner escort service is included.
	Due to changes in scope and accounting treatment over this period, the figures are not necessarily directly comparable. Figures are subject to rounding.
	Figures for 2009-10 are being produced and will be published later in the year.
	
		
			  £ 
			   Establishments' cost per prisoner per day  Overall cost per prisoner per day 
			  Function name  1997-98  1998-99  1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  2007-08  2008-09 
			 Male category B 56 60 61 62 67 67 68 69 71 77 81 81 104 105 
			 Male category C 45 47 50 50 51 55 57 59 60 60 62 62 91 100 
			 Male dispersal 100 107 115 114 112 119 127 130 138 143 144 146 204 203 
			 Female closed 78 80 70 68 71 87 96 100 106 89 127 116 166 148 
			 Female local 78 76 84 84 83 98 111 120 121 113 114 107 159 153 
			 Female open 44 47 59 73 61 71 76 80 79 84 72 91 108 138 
			 Male closed YOI 49 52 59 73 63 81 93 96 94 88 90 91 131 136 
			 Male juvenile  98 126 130 82 96 123 120 124 111 120 144 153 185 
			 Male local 53 57 60 65 63 62 65 67 69 69 73 73 101 106 
			 Male open 44 46 53 48 56 57 52 56 61 65 59 54 87 89 
			 Male open YOI 68 70 76 80 70 52 106 92 99 106 113 101 166 152 
			 Male remand centre 50 57 59 64 70 72 - - - - - - - - 
			 Semi open - - - - 64 69 68 70 74 66 69 71 101 111 
			 Cluster - - - - - - - - - 61 62 60 94 99 
			 Mixed male local and female closed - - - - - - - - - - 87 - 93 - 
			 Contracted out 29 - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
			 Prison totals: 51 56 60 64 63 66 70 72 74 73 77 76 107 112

Prisoners: Interviews

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will bring forward proposals to enable prisoners to give media interviews; and if he will make a statement.

Crispin Blunt: It is currently possible for prisoners to have access to journalists in order to give interviews but these are conducted under very strict conditions and only in exceptional circumstances, as set out in Prison Service Instruction 37/2010 which is available in the Library and on the Prison Service website.

Prisoners: Sentencing

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many additional days were added to prisoners' sentences in each of the last 10 years; and for what reasons days were so added in each such year.

Crispin Blunt: The National Offender Management Service records the number of findings of guilt against prisoners at internal disciplinary hearings (adjudications) where additional days were imposed. This information is given in the following table. Some prisoners may have received more than one award of added days. The table also shows the type of offence for which added days were awarded. More detailed figures on offences and punishments are available in "Prison Statistics England and Wales" for the years 2000-02, and the Offender Management Caseload Statistics for the years 2003-09, on the Ministry of Justice website at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/prisonandprobation.htm
	
		
			  Number of punishments of additional days imposed, and types of offence 
			   2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008  2009 
			 All offences 63,918 59,690 32,793 6,368 9,454 12,040 12,566 13,460 12,792 11,550 
			 Violence 10,620 9,308 5,263 1,006 1,089 1,353 1,122 1,028 872 854 
			 Escape/abscond 717 588 426 414 374 232 135 93 81 63 
			 Disobedience/disrespect 21,563 21,441 11,692 1,215 1,814 2,341 2,295 2,462 2,142 1,687 
			 Wilful damage 2,896 2,625 1,558 479 498 531 523 558 541 537 
			 Unauthorised transactions 22,506 20,321 10,458 2,741 5,127 6,979 7,936 8,742 8,648 7,990 
			 Other offences 5,616 5,407 3,396 513 552 604 555 577 508 419 
		
	
	'Violence' includes assault, fighting and detaining against another person's will. 'Disobedience/disrespect' includes disobeying a lawful order, threatening behaviour and refusal to work. 'Unauthorised transactions' includes possession of unauthorised items and drug offences.

Sentencing

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many persons convicted of  (a) between five and nine,  (b) between 10 and 14 and  (c) 15 or more offences in each of the last three years did not receive a custodial sentence for any such offence.

Crispin Blunt: The following table shows the total number of offenders sentenced, number of offenders who do not receive an immediate custodial sentence and percentage of offenders who do not receive an immediate custodial sentence. These figures are derived from table 6.2 of 'Sentencing Statistics: England and Wales 2009' which was published on 21 October 2010 and gives a breakdown of offenders sentenced by number of previous convictions and cautions.
	
		
			  Number and percentage of offenders who were sentenced for indictable offences by number of previous c onvictions and cautions, 2007- 09 
			   2007  2008  2009 
			  Number of offenders sentenced
			 First time offenders 33,968 33,937 33,560 
			 1 -2 previous convictions/cautions 57,556 57,148 56,637 
			 3-6 previous convictions/cautions 71,549 70,975 69,956 
			 7-10 previous convictions/cautions 41,623 42,901 41,446 
			 11-14 previous convictions/cautions 29,190 31,140 30,165 
			 15 or more previous convictions/cautions 79,952 90,055 91,120 
			 All offenders 313,838 326,156 322,884 
			 
			  Number of offenders who do not receive an immediate custodial sentence
			 First time offenders 24,979 24,386 24,731 
			 1-2 previous convictions/cautions 49,735 48,788 48,139 
			 3-6 previous convictions/cautions 58,090 57,103 56,717 
			 7-10 previous convictions/cautions 29,683 30,527 30,092 
			 11-14 previous convictions/cautions 19,082 20,242 20,431 
			 15 or more previous convictions/cautions 47,649 53,497 56,671 
			 All offenders 229,218 234,543 236,781 
			 
			  Percentage of offenders who do not receive an immediate custodial sentence
			 First time offenders 73.5 71.9 73.7 
			 1-2 previous convictions/cautions 86.4 85.4 85.0 
			 3-6 previous convictions/cautions 81.2 80.5 81.1 
			 7-10 previous convictions/cautions 71.3 71.2 72.6 
			 11-14 previous convictions/cautions 65.4 65.0 67.7 
			 15 or more previous convictions/cautions 59.6 59.4 62.2 
			 All offenders 73.0 71.9 73.3 
		
	
	The figures have been drawn from the police's administrative IT system, the police national computer, which, as with any large scale recording system, is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. The figures are provisional and subject to change as more information is recorded by the police.

Small Businesses: Tribunals

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many owners of small businesses employing 10 people or fewer have applied to participate in the employment tribunal system since May 2010.

Jonathan Djanogly: As the respondent to an employment tribunal claim, an employer can provide details to the tribunal on the number of people employed by the business. This information may assist the tribunal in understanding the context of the claim. However, the employment tribunal does not hold information centrally on the number of owners of businesses, employing 10 people or fewer, who have applied to participate in the tribunal system as there is no business need or benefit in doing so. The information can be provided only at a disproportionate cost by manually checking each individual case file. Even then, the data contained in case files may not necessarily identify the number of people employed as the disclosure of this information is not mandatory.

DEFENCE

Departmental Sick Leave

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for how many days on average his Department's staff in each pay grade were absent from work as a result of ill health in 2009-10.

Andrew Robathan: Sickness absence rates by average working days lost (AWDL) per full-time equivalent (FTE) employee in the Ministry of Defence for the 12 months ending 30 June 2010, the latest information available, are shown in the following table.
	The table includes non-industrial and industrial staff and the staff of the four MOD trading funds, but excludes staff in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and locally engaged civilians for whom sickness absence data are not readily available.
	
		
			  FTE rates( 1, 2) 
			  Grade (equivalent)( 3)  July 2009  to  30 June 2010 
			 AA 11.61 
			 AO 9.75 
			 HO 7.84 
			 HEO 5.64 
			 SEO 5.12 
			 G7 3.86 
			 G6 2.83 
			 SCS 2.17 
			 Unknown 4.16 
			 (1) Data presented reflect the current Cabinet Office definition, setting a maximum absence of 225 days per person, and excludes data for weekends, annual leave and bank holidays. Excludes staff who have been classed as on zero pay. (2) Average working days lost per full-time equivalent are calculated by dividing the total working days lost for each period by a weighted average of the first of the month strengths for the period, with the strengths at 1 January at the start and end of the period receiving a weighting of 0.5, and the strengths at the first of the other months in the period a weighting of 1. (3) Equivalent civil service grades have been used to amalgamate the various MOD non-industrial, industrial and trading fund grades. 
		
	
	The MOD is committed to reducing sickness absence and occupational health advice and support is available to all employees and their line managers. Guidance and training is available to line managers on managing absence; we actively encourage the use of return to work interviews and have trigger points in place for the commencement of management action. We are currently reviewing all of our absence policies.

Departmental Sick Leave

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many officials in his Department have had  (a) fewer than five days,  (b) five to 10 days,  (c) 10 to 15 days,  (d) 15 to 20 days,  (e) 20 to 25 days,  (f) 25 to 50 days,  (g) 50 to 75 days,  (h) 75 to 100 days,  (i) 100 to 150 days,  (j) 150 to 200 days,  (k) more than 200 days,  (l) more than three months,  (m) more than six months and  (n) one year on paid sick leave (i) consecutively and (ii) in total in each year since 1997.

Andrew Robathan: The Ministry of Defence is committed to reducing sickness absence, and occupational health advice and support is available to all employees and their line managers. Guidance and training is available to line managers on managing absence; we actively encourage the use of return to work interviews and have trigger points in place for the commencement of management action. We are currently reviewing all of our absence policies.
	Data on the number of working days taken by civilian staff in the format required cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate costs. The Cabinet Office has published annual sickness absence reports for the civil service from 2003 to 2007, these can be viewed at the following website:
	http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/resources/sickness/sickness.aspx
	From January 2008 the MOD has submitted sickness absence rates to the Cabinet Office in terms of the total number of days lost through sickness absence split between short-term and long-term sickness absence. Long-term absence is defined as over 28 consecutive calendar days.
	The following table shows the number of days lost through sickness absence over a rolling 12-month period. The table includes non-industrial and industrial staff and the staff of the four MOD Trading Funds, but excludes staff in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and locally engaged civilians for whom sickness absence data is not readily available.
	
		
			  Period of sickness absence  Days lost (short - term)  Days lost (long - term) 
			 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2007 319,308 374,023 
			 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008 303,718 361,559 
			 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2008 300,973 328,816 
			 1 October 2007 to 30 September 2008 297,951 325,799 
			 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2008 297,671 316,404 
			 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2009 291,174 304,924 
			 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2009 283,007 299,880 
			 1 October 2008 to 30 September 2009 288,527 296,960 
			 1 January 2009 to 31 December 2009 284,930 296,752 
			 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010 288,126 303,616 
			 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2010 284,369 300,357

Ex-servicemen: Radiation Exposure

Thomas Docherty: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the written ministerial statement of 21 April 2009,  Official Report, columns 6-7WS, on nuclear test veterans' health research, what progress his Department has made on identifying the research required to investigate the health needs of nuclear test veterans; when he expects to receive the report of the working group established to take the projects forward; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 22 October 2010
	The Ministry of Defence remains concerned about the health and well-being of those who have served and in that context, following discussion with veterans' representatives, has now placed a contract to take forward a health needs audit of Nuclear Test Veterans (NTV). The audit will gather and record the direct experience and views of NTV in relation to their health and social care needs, and there will be scope to include input from veterans about their children's experiences.
	The work is being earned out by Miles and Green Associates, an independent health consultancy. They will be using a postal survey and hold focus groups around the UK. Miles and Green are liaising closely with the British Nuclear Test Veterans Association to develop the detailed scope of the audit and promote participation among veterans. The work began in September 2010 and is expected to take about six to eight months to complete and report.

Mental Illnesses

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the recommendations relating to his Department of the report by the Government Office for Science, Foresight on Mental Capital and Wellbeing; if he will ensure that his Department's policy development process takes account of psychological research into subjective wellbeing; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 21 October 2010
	In addition to the wider approach taken by the Department of Health, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, and the NHS, the report's relevance to the Ministry of Defence civilian staff relates, in the main, to policies to improve well-being at work, employee support, flexible working, training and development, managing sickness absence, and providing meaningful jobs. The Department already has robust policies in place for these areas.
	The Department also has a wide range of measures in place to monitor and manage the mental health and well-being of military personnel. Research by the Academic Centre for Defence Mental Health confirms that personnel benefit greatly by being within well-led units with good support from their colleagues, and managing this is a key chain of command responsibility.
	The Defence Medical Services deploy uniformed mental health staff on major operations to provide advice, assessment and care to personnel in theatre. In the UK. community-based mental health care is available at 15 MOD-run regional Departments of Community Mental Health (plus centres overseas), while in-patient care, when necessary, is provided in specialist NHS mental health facilities.
	We are always looking for ways in which our mental health services can be extended, and a report into the provision of mental health support to the armed forces and ex-service personnel (commissioned by the Prime Minister from my hon. Friend the Member for South West Wiltshire (Dr Murrison) was published earlier this month. This makes a wide-ranging number of recommendations that the MOD and Department of Health will be looking to introduce. Two of the key recommendations are due to be introduced immediately: a dedicated 24-hour support line for veterans, and the placing of 30 dedicated mental health nurses in mental health trusts to ensure the right support is organised specifically for veterans.

Military Decorations

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many George Medals have been awarded in each of the last three years.

Andrew Robathan: The George Medal was instituted, together with the George Cross, on 24 September 1940. It is awarded to civilians for acts of great bravery, but not so outstanding as to merit consideration for the George Cross. The George Medal is also awarded to military personnel for those acts for which military honours would not normally be granted, such as acts of great bravery not in the presence of the enemy.
	The following table shows the number of George Medals that have been awarded to military personnel since 2008.
	
		
			   Number of George Medals awarded 
			 2008 0 
			 2009 1 + 1 bar 
			 2010 3 
		
	
	The Ministry of Defence does not hold the figures for the number of George Medals that have been awarded to civilians.

Military Decorations

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Conspicuous Gallantry Cross medals have been awarded in each of the last three years.

Andrew Robathan: The Conspicuous Gallantry Cross is awarded in recognition of acts of conspicuous gallantry during active operations against the enemy.
	The following table shows the number of Conspicuous Gallantry Crosses that have been awarded to military personnel since 2008.
	
		
			   Number of Conspicuous Gallantry Crosses awarded 
			 2008 5 
			 2009 6 
			 2010 11

Trident

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to publish the report on the Trident Value for Money Review.

Liam Fox: The Value for Money Review's outcomes were published within the Strategic Defence and Security Review, published on Tuesday 9 October 2010.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan: Overseas Aid

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the distribution of aid in Afghanistan.

Andrew Mitchell: The Department for International Development is currently reviewing all our country programmes, including our programme in Afghanistan. The Bilateral Aid Review is focusing on results, delivery mechanisms and the relationship between costs, outputs and outcomes. It also takes account of what other donors are doing, and considers where DFID can add value. The review will be completed by February 2011.

Afghanistan: Overseas Aid

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many aid projects sponsored by his Department have been completed in Afghanistan since 2001.

Andrew Mitchell: The total number of Department for International Development (DFID) projects active since 2004 is 130, of which 80 have been completed. Obtaining information on project completed from 2001 to 2004 would incur disproportionate cost as electronic records and hard copy project paperwork prior to 2004 have been archived.

Africa: Poverty

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of  (a) structural adjustment programmes and  (b) poverty reduction strategy papers on reducing poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Stephen O'Brien: Structural adjustment programmes (SAPs) were economic policy reform programmes supported by World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) lending in the 1980s and 1990s, which aimed to improve macro-economic stability and economic growth. The SAPs of the 1990s helped to lay the macro-economic policy foundations for many sub-Saharan African countries to achieve faster economic growth since 2000. However, they were often criticised for inducing adverse social impacts.
	The poverty reduction strategy paper (PRSP) approach was launched by the World Bank and IMF in 1999 to help guide their financing and aid received from other donors, and to ensure that debt relief under the heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) programme would help to reduce poverty. Core principles of PRSPs are that strategies are country-owned, multi-year and designed to achieve poverty reduction results, particularly those linked to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). PRSPs are still the basis for many World Bank and IMF lending programmes.
	There have been numerous assessments of the impacts of SAPs and PRSPs. The Secretary of State has not made a formal assessment of the effectiveness of SAPs or PRSP's in reducing poverty in sub-Saharan Africa. What we are interested in going forward, is how to make faster progress against the MDGs and deliver value for money with all UK aid.

Capita

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many contracts his Department has with Capita; and how much it has paid to Capita under such contracts in 2010-11 to date.

Alan Duncan: The Department for International Development (DFID) currently has no contracts with Capita, therefore our expenditure for 2010-11 is zero.

Departmental Disciplinary Proceedings

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many officials in his Department have been  (a) subject to disciplinary action,  (b) removed from post,  (c) transferred to another position and  (d) dismissed for matters relating to their (i) disciplinary record and (ii) performance in each year since 1997.

Alan Duncan: Available information on the number of Department for International Development (DFID) staff that have been subject to disciplinary action, removed from post, transferred to another position or dismissed in each year since 1999 is provided as follows. Where the total number of staff concerned is fewer then five we are unable to provide more specific data as this could potentially identify the individuals involved and so breach confidentiality. Information prior to 1999 cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.
	
		
			   Number of staff subject to disciplinary action  Removed from post  Transferred to another position  Number dismissed 
			 1999 n/a n/a n/a Under 5 
			 2000 n/a n/a n/a Under 5 
			 2001 n/a n/a n/a Under 5 
			 2002 n/a n/a n/a 5 
			 2003 n/a n/a n/a Under 5 
			 2004 n/a n/a n/a Under 5 
			 2005 n/a n/a n/a Under 5 
			 2006 20 Under 5 Under 5 5 
			 2007 29 Under 5 Under 5 9 
			 2008 23 Under 5 Under 5 5 
			 2009 18 Under 5 Under 5 Under 5 
			 2010 (to date) 14 Under 5 Under 5 Under 5 
			 n/a = Information not available without incurring disproportionate cost.

Departmental Pay

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much was paid to officials in his Department and its non-departmental public bodies in bonuses and other payments in addition to salary in each year since 1997; how many officials received such payments; and what the monetary values was of the largest 20 payments made in each such year.

Alan Duncan: Details of the total value of performance-related pay and other payments in addition to salary in each financial year from 2004-05 are included in the following table. The figures provided do not include payments to cover the reimbursement of business expenses nor the reimbursement of education fees.
	
		
			  Financial Year  Total (£) 
			 2004-05 4,105,496 
			 2005-06 5,429,535 
			 2006-07 7,535,239 
			 2007-08 7,985,906 
			 2008-09 8,557,449 
			 2009-10 10,072,164 
		
	
	There are 13 categories of payment aggregated in the totals above and it is not possible to provide the numbers of individual members of staff receiving payments as many will have received payments under more than one heading. The following table provides details of the 20 largest payments made in each financial year.
	
		
			  Financial year  £ 
			 2004-05 24,674 
			  24,674 
			  18,125 
			  16,572 
			  15,131 
			  14,330 
			  13,268 
			  13,268 
			  13,268 
			  12,889 
			  12,889 
			  12,874 
			  12,874 
			  12,690 
			  12,020 
			  12,020 
			  11,779 
			  11,779 
			  11,779 
			  11,779 
			   
			 2005-06 30,591 
			  24,762 
			  24,182 
			  23,361 
			  22,590 
			  21,888 
			  18,327 
			  14,966 
			  14,966 
			  14,843 
			  14,155 
			  14,155 
			  14,155 
			  14,000 
			  13,438 
			  13,135 
			  13,135 
			  12,467 
			  12,453 
			  12,450 
			   
			 2006-07 30,474 
			  30,474 
			  26,833 
			  21,019 
			  20,317 
			  19,578 
			  18,427 
			  17,777 
			  17,777 
			  17,531 
			  17,288 
			  16,671 
			  16,179 
			  16,143 
			  16,143 
			  16,143 
			  16,143 
			  16,143 
			  16,143 
			  16,143 
			   
			 2007-08 33,283 
			  33,283 
			  33,283 
			  33,283 
			  30,494 
			  30,494 
			  30,367 
			  29,710 
			  27,543 
			  23,176 
			  20,195 
			  20,191 
			  20,187 
			  17,167 
			  17,167 
			  17,167 
			  17,167 
			  17,167 
			  16,993 
			  16,993 
			   
			 2008-09 33,615 
			  33,615 
			  33,615 
			  32,614 
			  32,236 
			  28,123 
			  27,575 
			  25,849 
			  25,565 
			  25,342 
			  24,451 
			  23,656 
			  23,430 
			  23,409 
			  22,700 
			  22,517 
			  21,859 
			  21,558 
			  21,423 
			  20,685 
			   
			 2009-10 42,134 
			  41,185 
			  41,086 
			  39,276 
			  36,421 
			  36,421 
			  36,421 
			  36,421 
			  36,421 
			  36,421 
			  36,421 
			  36,421 
			  36,421 
			  36,421 
			  35,515 
			  34,128 
			  33,401 
			  31,730 
			  30,106 
			  29,847 
		
	
	Information prior to financial year 2004-05 cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate cost. The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission, DFID's only non-departmental public body, does not employ staff and has therefore not made any such payments.

Departmental Pay

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what allowances and payments in addition to salary were available to officials in his Department in each year since 1997; and what the monetary value was of payments and allowances of each type in each such year.

Alan Duncan: Details of the allowances payable in addition to salary, together with the total value of each payment type from 2004-05 are included in the following tables. The figures provided do not include payments to cover the reimbursement of business expenses nor the reimbursement of education fees. Where the total number of staff concerned is fewer than five, we are unable to provide more specific data as this could potentially identify the individuals involved and so breach confidentiality. Information prior to 2004-05 cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.
	
		
			   2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			  Payment description  Total (£)  Number of recipients  Total (£)  Number of recipients  Total (£)  Number of recipients 
			 Performance related pay 872,540 1,716 824,438 1,116 1,014,215 1,223 
			 Overseas cost of living allowance 905,052 570 1,564,780 715 2,253,622 747 
			 Overseas hardship allowance 1,362,679 587 1,985,124 728 2,900,101 754 
			 Overseas relocation allowances 367,955 237 348,025 210 522,789 270 
			 Representation allowances 168,698 297 165,010 317 251,682 364 
			 Overseas maintenance allowance 58,661 125 50,358 123 58,110 122 
			 Market allowances 322,466 235 391,032 237 393,243 231 
			 Foreign language allowance 5,039 5 1,172 (1)- 858 (1)- 
			 On call allowance 8,666 28 26,543 45 43,749 49 
			 Inner London dispersal 475 (1)- 456 (1)- 456 (1)- 
			 Hazardous locations allowance 30,536 46 69,709 65 91,362 61 
			 Fire warden and evacuation pay 1,450 29 1,650 32 4,183 84 
			 Footwear allowance 442 9 0 0 0 0 
		
	
	
		
			   2007 -0 8  200 8 -0 9  200 9 - 10 
			  Payment description  Total (£)  Number of recipients  Total (£)  Number of recipients  Total (£)  Number of recipients 
			 Performance related pay 1,334,953 1,648 670,978 79 1,426,279 1,443 
			 Overseas cost of living allowance 2,160,074 785 3,055,481 802 3,748,731 801 
			 Overseas hardship allowance 3,117,035 788 3,485,680 800 3,624,147 797 
			 Overseas relocation allowances 551,788 279 555,462 275 528,589 244 
			 Representation allowances 261,238 353 242,583 340 199,253 309 
			 Overseas maintenance allowance 58,088 139 59,184 126 43,144 90 
			 Market allowances 358,421 210 322,108 168 322,343 171 
			 Foreign language allowance 1,223 (1)- 910 (1)- 858 (1)- 
			 On call allowance 57,784 47 74,090 76 76,038 69 
			 Inner London dispersal 228 (1)- 228 (1)- 228 (1)- 
			 Hazardous locations allowance 78,930 48 83,774 43 98,504 67 
			 Fire warden and evacuation pay 5,000 97 4,400 88 4,050 81 
			 Footwear allowance 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 (1) Data withheld where the number of recipients is less than 5.

Departmental Sick Leave

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development for how many days on average his Department's staff in each pay grade were absent from work as a result of ill health in 2009-10.

Alan Duncan: The number of average working days lost (AWDL) to sickness absence at each job grade in the Department for International Development (DFID) during financial year 2009-10 is as follows.
	
		
			  Average working days lost to sickness absence 
			  Job grade  Days 
			 Senior civil service 1.7 
			 Band A1/grade 6 0.9 
			 Band A2/grade 7 2.4 
			 Band A2(L)/senior executive officer 3.7 
			 Band B1/higher executive officer 5.7 
			 Band B2/executive officer 8.9 
			 Band C1/administrative officer 14.3 
			 Band C2/administrative assistant 17.9 
			 Overall 4.9

Departmental Sick Leave

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he made of the cost to his Department and its non-departmental public bodies of compliance with  (a) domestic,  (b) European and  (c) other international human rights requirements in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Duncan: The Department for International Development (DFID) does not collate information on the costs of compliance with human rights requirements. DFID takes account of the domestic and international human rights framework in developing all its policies and practices, as it does all other relevant legal obligations. An accurate estimate of the total cost of compliance with human rights obligations could not be made without incurring disproportionate cost.

Departmental Sick Leave

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many days his Department has lost to staff sickness in each year since 1997; and what estimate he made of the cost to his Department of sickness absence in each such year.

Alan Duncan: Details of the number of days lost to sickness absence in the Department for International Development (DFID) in each financial year since 2005-06 and an approximation of the associated costs of such sickness absence are provided in the table. Information prior to 2005-06 cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Financial year  Number of days lost to sickness absence  Approximate sickness absence cost (£) 
			 2005-06 11,171 1,900,123 
			 2006-07 9,001 1,529,824 
			 2007-08 10,052 1,709,363 
			 2008-09 9,903 1,683,180 
			 2009-10 9,112 1,548,526

Departmental Sick Leave

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many officials in his Department have had  (a) fewer than five days,  (b) five to 10 days, (c) 10 to 15 days,  (d) 15 to 20 days,  (e) 20 to 25 days,  (f) 25 to 50 days,  (g) 50 to 75 days,  (h) 75 to 100 days,  (i) 100 to 150 days,  (j) 150 to 200 days,  (k) more than 200 days,  (l) more than three months,  (m) more than six months and  (n) one year on paid sick leave (i) consecutively and (ii) it total in each year since 1997.

Alan Duncan: Details of the number of Department for International Development (DFID) staff who have had total annual sick absences within the ranges requested, in each financial year since 2007-08, are provided as follows. Information on the number of consecutive absences and details prior to 2007-08 cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate cost, sufficient
	
		
			  Sickness absence periods  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 
			 Fewer than five days 560 299 318 
			 Five to 10 days 198 139 148 
			 10 to 15 days 78 61 64 
			 15 to 20 days 33 34 33 
			 20 to 25 days 14 21 22 
			 25 to 50 days 51 40 42 
			 50 to 75 days 15 22 20 
			 75 to 100 days 10 6 6 
			 100 to 150 days 7 7 9 
			 150 to 200 days 2 4 5 
			 More than 200 days 4 7 2 
			 More than 3 months 32 28 25 
			 More than 6 months 6 14 11 
			 More than 1 year 4 4 1

Developing Countries: Maternity Services

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 14 September 2010,  Official Report, column 920W, on developing countries: maternity services, what datasets his Department collects on its maternal and newborn health programmes in each  (a) region and  (b) country.

Stephen O'Brien: In order to assess the effectiveness of our programmes to improve maternal and newborn health, the Department for International Development (DFID) draws on national data and statistics, as well as data and statistics collected by DFID's partners, including agencies such as the GAVI Alliance and the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria.
	At the global level, DFID also draws on data from the United Nations Statistics Division's Millennium Development Goal (MDG) database, to assess progress against MDGs 4 and 5, pertaining to maternal and child health.
	These data are also informing the ongoing Bilateral and Multilateral Aid Reviews.

Henderson Island: Biodiversity

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much funding his Department plans to allocate to programmes related to the preservation of biodiversity on Henderson Island in each of the next three years.

Alan Duncan: Through the Overseas Territories Environment Programme, the Department for International Development (DFID) is contributing £18,000 in 2010-11 and £85,000 in 2011-12 towards a project to eradicate rats from Henderson Island. A successful eradication will help preserve this unique island's World Heritage status and secure the long-term future of its wildlife.

Henderson Island: Biodiversity

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment his Department has made of future levels of biodiversity on Henderson Island; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Duncan: The Overseas Territories Environment Programme (OTEP), a joint programme of the Department for International Development (DFID) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), has funded research into the impacts of Pacific Rats on the wildlife of Henderson Island and feasibility studies of their eradication. These studies have concluded that a number of species, such as the Henderson Petrel, are under severe threat with over 90% of chicks eaten by rats. Permanent eradication of rats without damaging other wildlife is reported to be technically feasible.

Overseas Aid

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much funding his Department has allocated to support  (a) food aid programmes and  (b) agricultural development in each country in (i) sub-Saharan Africa and (ii) Asia in each of the last five years.

Stephen O'Brien: Details of the Department for International Development's (DFID) expenditure are published annually in Statistics on International Development (SID) which is available on the DFID website and in the Library. The relevant figures are reproduced as follows.
	
		
			  (a) DFID bilateral expenditure on food aid in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia 
			  £000 
			   2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 
			  (i) Sub-Saharan Africa:  
			 Burundi - 2,640 - - - 
			 Chad - 524 - - - 
			 Eritrea -4 - -243 - - 
			 Ethiopia 386 464 182 20,744 13,700 
			 Guinea - - 155 40 - 
			 Kenya - - 215 165 12 
			 Lesotho 584 607 471 644 406 
			 Liberia 163 124 - - - 
			 Malawi 710 867 177 - 1,506 
			 Niger - - 183 39 - 
			 Somalia - - - - 65 
			 South Africa 526 1,138 1,326 - - 
			 Sudan 740 936 747 - - 
			 Swaziland - - 1,722 798 - 
			 Uganda - 2,000 9,500 8,000 - 
			 Zambia 4,370 569 447 831 36 
			 Zimbabwe 2,510 5,852 10,808 10,594 1,538 
			 South of Sahara regional 16 - - - - 
			   
			  (ii) Asia:  
			 Afghanistan - - 3,000 - - 
			 Bangladesh 6,745 790 3,891 4,320 5,225 
			 Burma 178 371 764 659 1,871 
			 India 414 117 110 319 271 
			 Nepal - - 317 - - 
			 Pakistan - - 74 - - 
			 Vietnam 596 2,039 734 123 -243 
			 Yemen - - 457 1,710 1,495 
			 Asia regional 32 - -35 - 558 
		
	
	
		
			  (b) DFID bilateral expenditure on agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia 
			  £000 
			   2005- 06  2006- 07  2007- 08  2008- 09  2009- 10 
			  (i) Sub-Saharan Africa:  
			 Botswana - 35 - - - 
			 Congo, Dem Rep - - - 698 59 
			 Ethiopia 544 23 15,492 4,204 21,378 
			 Gambia -18 - - - - 
			 Ghana 4,632 1,045 3,008 2,723 1,839 
			 Kenya 1,049 1,421 472 110 -16 
			 Lesotho 364 306 150 155 99 
			 Liberia - 280 - - - 
			 Madagascar 22 18 16 - - 
			 Malawi 723 2,546 2,529 2,547 1,615 
			 Mozambique 364 491 331 427 583 
			 Namibia 596 289 - - - 
			 Nigeria 3,021 2,609 1,835 1,039 1,037 
			 Rwanda 282 1,995 1,394 1,090 3,230 
			 Sierra Leone - 17 16 79 6 
			 Somalia - 500 - 735 123 
			 South Africa 599 463 292 259 - 
			 Southern Africa Development Community 50 100 - - - 
			 St Helena 22 40 14 4 123 
			 Sudan - - - 3,213 9,290 
			 Swaziland - 89 1 - - 
			 Tanzania 4 80 164 221 54 
			 Uganda 305 98 90 304 239 
			 Zambia 43 55 59 35 13 
			 Zimbabwe - - 25 2,747 4,419 
			 South of Sahara regional 192 110 279 104 6,950 
			   
			  (ii) Asia:  
			 Afghanistan 3,408 12,938 3,212 22,308 14,498 
			 Bangladesh 9,815 13,341 15,675 18,857 17,450 
			 Burma 284 566 540 689 2,064 
			 Cambodia 1,851 2,291 1,245 2,397 3,369 
			 China 2,877 2,707 2,525 3,718 2,980 
			 East Timor 150 154 150 - - 
			 India 16,105 22,545 20,241 19,646 16,809 
			 Indonesia - 34 47 34 6 
			 Kazakhstan 117 - - - - 
			 Kyrgyzstan 469 674 620 1,240 496 
			 Nepal 5,409 5,096 5,148 9,772 10,734 
			 Pakistan 1,372 1,790 4,384 1,569 3,264 
			 Philippines - - 1 1 1 
			 Sri Lanka 17 31 23 42 33 
			 Tajikistan 499 598 545 847 741 
			 Vietnam 12,393 4,641 3,951 1,193 2,414 
			 Yemen - - - 576 1,736 
			 Asia regional 104 - - 25 44

Pakistan: Overseas Aid

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what types of aid his Department has given to Pakistan to assist with the aftermath of the recent floods; and what the  (a) monetary value and  (b) cost of that aid has been.

Andrew Mitchell: I refer the hon. Member to my written statement of 12 October 2010,  Official Report, column 12WS, which sets out details of UK aid for the humanitarian crisis in Pakistan. The UK Government are providing £134 million, of which goods in kind account for £1,967,680. This figure does not take account of transportation costs and is subject to exchange rate fluctuations.
	In line with standard humanitarian practice, none of this funding has been provided to the Government of Pakistan. For further details of organisations to the floods, I refer the hon. Member to my written answer of 11 October 2010,  Official Report, column 125W, and to the Floods Monitor on DFID's website.

Pitcairn Islands

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has had with  (a) Ministerial colleagues and  (b) his international counterparts on the Pitcairn Islands in the last six months.

Alan Duncan: There have been no formal meetings, but I expect Ministers to meet to discuss a new strategy for the Overseas Territories in due course.

Pitcairn Islands

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much funding his Department allocated to programmes in the Pitcairn Islands in each of the last 10 years.

Alan Duncan: The Department for International Development (DFID) has provided the following amounts to Pitcairn over the last 10 years:
	
		
			  Financial year  Amount (£) 
			 2009-10 1,790,000 
			 2008-09 2,115,000 
			 2007-08 1,462,000 
			 2006-07 1,837,000 
			 2005-06 2,582,000 
			 2004-05 1,314,000 
			 2003-04 64,000 
			 2002-03 53,000 
			 2001-02 26,000 
			 2000-01 18,000

Sri Lanka: Armed Conflict

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has had with the Sri Lankan Government on the return of Tamils to their homes.

Alan Duncan: Ministers have not had any discussions with the Sri Lankan Government regarding the return of Tamils to their homes. However, the British high commissioner in Colombo discusses this issue regularly with the Government of Sri Lanka in order to encourage the Sri Lankan authorities to allow those people who remain in camps for internally displaced people to return to their home areas as soon as possible.

Sri Lanka: Overseas Aid

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on the distribution of aid to the Tamil population in Sri Lanka.

Alan Duncan: Ministers have had no direct discussions with the Foreign Secretary regarding the distribution of aid to the Tamil population in Sri Lanka. However, officials from the Department for International Development (DFID) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) are in contact regularly about DFID's ongoing humanitarian aid programme in Sri Lanka, which is aiding displaced persons and funding de-mining.

World Bank

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department allocated for expenditure through the World Bank in each of the last five years; for what purposes such funding was used; what evaluation he has made of the outcomes of the expenditure; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Duncan: The Department for International Development (DFID) provides core funding to the International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank. IDA is the concessional arm of the bank, providing low interest loans and grants to programmes in 79 of the poorest countries to boost economic growth, deliver the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and improve living conditions. DFID funding to IDA in the last five years is as follows:
	
		
			  Financial year  £ million 
			 2005-06 364.8 
			 2006-07 493 
			 2007-08 493 
			 2008-09 524 
			 2009-10 620 
		
	
	The UK also contributes to Trust Funds that are administered by the World Bank Group. This includes funding to large Global Funds such as the Education Fast Track Initiative or Climate Investment Funds which have their own governance structures and where the bank acts as a financial intermediary. DFID also contributes to country level and thematic Trust Funds.
	The bank have just issued a paper which sets out major achievements from IDA financing over the last decade, including saving at least 13 million lives, providing access to a clean water source to over 113 million people and bringing better education to more than 100 million children each year.
	DFID is carrying out a Multilateral Aid Review to assess the effectiveness of IDA and others. This is to ensure that we get best value for money from UK contributions to these organisations. The results of the review will be published in February 2011.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Departmental Visits Abroad

David Simpson: To ask the Attorney-General how much the Law Officers' Departments spent on overseas visits for senior officials in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Dominic Grieve: The information requested is contained in the following table:
	
		
			  Department  Overseas travel cost (SCS)( 1)  (£) 
			 TSol(2) 12,473 
			 CPS(3) 41,935 
			 SFO 18,884 
			 NFA 994 
			 (1) Data cover financial year 2009-10.  (2) TSol data also cover AGO and HMCPSI  (3) CPS data include costs for RCPO from 1 October 2010. RCPO data prior to this date could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.

Female Genital Mutilation

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Attorney-General how many prosecutions have been brought in respect of offences relating to female genital mutilation in each of the last five years.

Dominic Grieve: There have been no prosecutions in respect of offences relating to female genital mutilation in the last five years.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department has spent on national public awareness campaigns to reduce the level of  (a) alcohol abuse,  (b) drug abuse and  (c) domestic violence in each of the last five years.

James Brokenshire: The following table summarises Home Office spend on national public awareness campaigns to combat  (a) alcohol abuse,  (b) drug abuse and  (c) domestic violence in each of the last five years.
	The figures provided refer to the cost of media for TV, print, radio, cinema and posters excluding VAT, advertising production and related fees.
	
		
			  £ 
			   Alcohol abuse  Drug abuse  Domestic violence 
			 2009-10 1,716,361 442,130 0 
			 2008-09 2,790,203 717,397 0 
			 2007-08 2,900,411 898,509 0 
			 2006-07 2,206,718 3,467,021 800,384 
			 2005-06 92,204 1,524,701 534,587

Alcoholic Drinks: Prices

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she plans to take to implement her proposal to prohibit the sale of alcohol below cost price following the consultation on re-balancing the Licensing Act 2003; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire: The Government are committed to banning the sale of alcohol below cost price. We are considering all options and plan to introduce this measure at the earliest opportunity without unduly impacting on industry or responsible drinkers.

Border Controls: France

Phil Woolas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions she has had with the French government on the border controls at  (a) Calais,  (b) Gare du Nord and  (c) Charles de Gaulle airport.

Damian Green: The UK holds regular discussions, at both ministerial and official level, with the French authorities on the issue of border controls at French ports, including Calais. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary and I have both met French counterparts to discuss migration issues, including the juxtaposed controls and wider bilateral co-operation, and it is expected that agreement will soon be reached on the next phase of UK-France collaboration at the border controls at Calais and other northern ports.
	The Secretary of State has not held any recent discussions with the French Government on border controls at Paris Gare du Nord or Charles de Gaulle airport. The UK Border Agency operates immigration controls at Gare du Nord where UK Border Agency officials are in regular contact with their French counterparts about matters of mutual interest and to ensure the security of the UK border. No rail services operate to the UK from Charles de Gaulle Airport and there is no UK border control at the location.

Borders: Personal Records

Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the effect on the e-Borders programme of the absence of an agreement at EU level on passenger data requirements for journeys within the EU.

Damian Green: holding answer 18 October 2010
	The Government are committed to e-Borders and to ensuring that we can progress this programme in a timely and cost-effective way.
	The decision to terminate the e-Borders contract with the prime supplier, Raytheon Systems Limited (RSL), and re-let the contract to another supplier was based on the poor performance of RSL to date. The Government are determined to get value for money from their major contracts and require the highest standard of performance from their suppliers.
	The failure of RSL to progress overall delivery has led to us being unable to make an assessment of the effect that the lack of EU agreement would have had on the Programme.
	Officials continue to engage in regular dialogue with the EU Commission and member states on matters relating to the e-Borders programme. These include a mutual understanding of how the programme operates in a way that is compatible with EU law on free movement and data protection.

Capita

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many contracts her Department has with Capita; and how much it has paid to Capita under such contracts in 2010-11 to date.

Nick Herbert: The Home Office currently has two contracts with Capita. It has not so far incurred expenditure against these contracts in 2010-11 to date.

Criminal Records Bureau

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 13 October 2010, Official Report, column 201W, on the Criminal Records Bureau, what estimate she has made of the number of people who were in receipt of out of work related benefits for up to 30.86 days on average because of the time taken for the Criminal Records Bureau to process a disclosure in the latest period for which figures are available.

Lynne Featherstone: The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) does not hold the information requested. The bureau's system stores information based upon each application and not on each individual applicant. Each application is treated as a new application and the current employment status of the individual is not captured in the application process. Therefore it is not possible to identify if the person is on benefits or not.

Criminal Records: East Sussex

Amber Rudd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people  (a) nationally and  (b) resident in Hastings and Rye constituency have been subject to more than one Criminal Records Bureau check within 12 months during the latest period for which figures are available.

Lynne Featherstone: The data provided in the following table represent all applications received by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) within the period 1 October 2009 to 30 September 2010 inclusive.
	
		
			  1  October  2009 to 30  September  2010  Applications received by CRB  More than one application received for applicant at same postcode  Percentage 
			 All Applications 4,422,102 526,899 11.9 
			 Hastings and Rye Applications 10,197 1,173 11.5 
		
	
	The data represent where more than one application has been received where the applicant has the same postcode. They exclude applications received prior 1 October 2009 and applications received by post on 30 Sept 2010.
	These cases will include where the applicant has applied for different posts.

EU Economic Migrant Cap

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment her Department has made of the effect on foreign direct investment of the inclusion of inter-company transfers within the proposed non-EU economic migrant cap.

Damian Green: The Government's consultation on the introduction of an annual limit on those admitted to work in the UK from outside the European Union-including the coverage of limits-closed in September. The Government will bring forward their proposals in due course. The Government will publish a full impact assessment when their proposals are announced.

EU Law

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what estimate she has made of the cost to her Department and its non-departmental public bodies of implementing and monitoring compliance with legislation transposing EU requirements in each year since 1997; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what estimate she has made of the cost to her Department and its non-departmental public bodies of compliance with  (a) domestic,  (b) European and  (c) other international human rights requirements in each year since 1997; and if she will make a statement.

Damian Green: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 19 July 2010,  Official Report, column 27W, in which I provided details of the estimate which the Home Office had made of known costs to the Department resulting from statutory obligations which stemmed from EU legislation over a requested one-year period (July 2009 to June 2010). The Home Office has no central estimate of the costs to the Department or its non-departmental public bodies of compliance with human rights requirements (domestic and international) or with legislation transposing EU requirements. Such an estimate could be collated only at a disproportionate cost.
	Impact assessments are increasingly valuable in determining the costs of EU proposals and, in preparing or contributing to them, we would normally aim to identify all the costs likely to arise, including those of significance falling on the public sector.

European Arrest Warrant: Dr Daniel Ubani

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date her Department received an application for the arrest of Dr Daniel Ubani under the European arrest warrant procedure.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 18 October 2010
	The Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) received a European Arrest Warrant (EAW) in respect of Dr Daniel Ubani from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) on 9 March 2009. The warrant was returned to the CPS by SOCA requesting minor corrections. The amended EAW was received by SOCA on 12 March and sent to Germany on 13 March 2009.

Extradition

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many UK citizens have been  (a) extradited and  (b) transferred to face criminal proceedings in each other EU member state in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how many applications for UK citizens to be  (a) extradited and  (b) transferred to face criminal proceedings in each other EU member state in each year since 1997 were successful;
	(3)  how many applications for UK citizens to be extradited to face criminal proceedings were made by each non-EU state in each year since 1997; and how many such applications were successful.

Nick Herbert: Since 1 January 2004, extradition between EU member states has been governed by the Framework Decision on the European Arrest Warrant (EAW). The Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) and Crown Office (for Scotland) are the designated central authorities for the receipt and transmission of EAWs within the UK. Under the EAW process "surrender" is used to describe "extradited" and "transferred".
	Since the inception of the EAW on 1 January 2004 up to 31 March 2010, 145 UK citizens have been surrendered to other European member states pursuant to EAWs. Information on the member state that issued the EAW is available for the period 1 October 2008 to 31 March 2010. It should be noted that surrenders do not correlate to the requests made in the same period. Some surrenders can occur weeks or months following the initial request. The following tables identify the member states that made the request.
	Data on the member states which have issued EAWs for 101 UK citizens surrendered in the period prior to 1 October 2008 are unavailable. These data could be provided only by a manual examination of all SOCA case records for that period. This would incur a disproportionate cost.
	The nationality of persons subject to extradition requests from EU member states was not routinely recorded prior to 2004. To provide the figures for 1997 to 2004 would incur disproportionate cost as this would require a manual examination of Home Office files.
	The third table shows the number of extradition requests made to England and Wales (and Northern Ireland since 1 April 2008) and processed by the Home Office since 1997. Due to the way in which extradition requests have been recorded by the Home Office, the following information will include all requests made outside the EAW framework. It will therefore include some requests made by EU member states prior to them operating the EAW. It has not been possible to break down these numbers so as to identify either the person's nationality or the state which requested extradition as this would entail a manual examination of all files, which would again incur disproportionate cost.
	Finally, it should also be emphasised that an extradition request is not always finalised in the same year as a request is made. The figures quoted may, therefore, include extradition requests made before 1997.
	
		
			  October 2008 to March 2009, British Nationals, EAW cases and surrenders 
			  Requesting country  Requests  Surrenders 
			 Cyprus 1 0 
			 France 5 0 
			 Germany 5 0 
			 Greece 2 0 
			 Hungary 2 0 
			 Ireland 2 0 
			 Italy 2 0 
			 Lithuania 1 0 
			 Netherlands 7 2 
			 Romania 1 0 
			 Spain 6 1 
			 Total 34 3 
		
	
	
		
			  Business year 2009-10, British Nationals, EAW cases and surrenders 
			  Requesting country  Requests  Surrenders 
			 Belgium 8 1 
			 Cyprus 1 3 
			 Finland 1 0 
			 France 20 5 
			 Germany 27 2 
			 Greece 11 1 
			 Hungary 1 1 
			 Ireland 9 4 
			 Italy 6 0 
			 Latvia 0 1 
			 Lithuania 2 0 
			 Luxembourg 1 1 
			 Malta 1 2 
			 Netherlands 29 8 
			 Poland 2 1 
			 Portugal 3 0 
			 Slovenia 3 0 
			 Spain 31 11 
			 Sweden 1 0 
			 Total 157 41 
		
	
	
		
			  Extradition requests received, 1997 to 2009 
			   Requests received  Surrendered  Not returned 
			 1997 107 43 27 
			 1998 111 45 45 
			 1999 101 38 25 
			 2000 78 47 28 
			 2001 133 55 42 
			 2002 137 53 54 
			 2003 114 55 39 
			 2004 99 50 41 
			 2005 54 62 37 
			 2006 64 45 38 
			 2007 49 29 25 
			 2008 57 17 18 
			 2009 81 38 31 
		
	
	It is not possible precisely to tally the number of requests received with the number of those extradited or not returned (whether discharged by the courts or Secretary of State, withdrawn by the requesting state etc.) in a defined period for a number of reasons. At any one stage there are a number of active extradition requests under consideration which will not count as either surrendered or not returned until they have been finalised.
	Additionally there may be a small number of people, subject to extradition proceedings, who for example have absconded, are serving a domestic sentence, or have not been arrested but remain wanted. These cases also cannot be closed until a final outcome has been reached. A further complicating factor is that some of the return figures will relate to requests made before the start of the defined period.

Human Trafficking

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the UK Border Agency works together with  (a) police officers and  (b) local authorities to identify individuals who may have been trafficked.

Damian Green: The UK Border Agency (UKBA) works together with police officers and local authorities within the National Referral Mechanism (NRM). The NRM is designed to make it easier for all the different agencies that could be involved in a trafficking case such as the police and local authorities to co-operate; to share information about potential victims and facilitate their access to advice, accommodation and support. The NRM Strategic Monitoring Group, which includes local authority and law enforcement representatives, oversees the NRM and looks to resolve issues as they arise.
	Detailed trafficking guidance that highlights the importance of working with the police and local authorities has been issued to all UKBA staff:
	 Guidance for Competent Authorities available at:
	http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/policyandlaw/asylumprocessguidance/specialcases/guidance/competent-guidance
	 Guidance for front-line staff available at:
	http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/policyandlaw/asylumprocessguidance/specialcases/guidance/trafficking-guidance?view=Binary
	UKBA also has strong regional partnership arrangements in place. Regional immigration crime teams, for example, are comprised of both UKBA staff and seconded police officers. The agency also has local immigration teams across the country that work alongside the police, HM Revenue and Customs, local authorities and other local partners to ensure compliance with, and enforce, our immigration laws.

Immigration

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 14 October 2010,  Official Report, column 403W, on immigration, from what countries of origin those people normally resident in the Peterborough City Council area who  (a) applied for and  (b) were granted indefinite leave to remain.

Damian Green: All the data requested have been placed in the Library.
	The UK Border Agency is unable to provide definitive data on the applicants address at the time of application. The information provided is therefore the applicants last known address.
	The data in the Library list applications made for indefinite leave from April 2009 to March 2010 for applicants living in the Peterborough city council area.
	This is internal management information and is subject to change. This information has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols.

Immigration: Agriculture

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she has made an assessment of the likely effects of her Department's cap on immigration on the number of  (a) farmers,  (b) directors,  (c) partners and  (d) spouses in each agricultural sector in 2010-11.

Damian Green: The Government's consultation on the introduction of an annual limit on those admitted to work in the UK from outside the European closed in September. The Government will bring forward their proposals in due course. The Government will publish a full impact assessment when their proposals are announced.

Immigration: Kettering

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applicants for indefinite leave to remain in the UK had their last known address in  (a) the borough of Kettering and  (b) Northamptonshire in the latest period for which figures are available; how many such applicants were successful and of which nationalities the applicants were.

Damian Green: holding answer 21 October 2010
	The UK Border Agency is unable to provide definitive data on the applicants address at the time of application. The information provided is therefore the applicants last known address.
	The following table lists applications made for indefinite leave from April 9 to March 10 for applicants living in the borough of Kettering and in Northamptonshire. It also shows the number of these applicants that were subsequently granted.
	
		
			   2009  2010  
			   Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sept  Oct  Nov  De c  Jan  Feb  March  Total 
			  Kettering  
			 Number of applications made 10 16 17 16 13 12 4 5 9 9 21 8 140 
			 Number of these applications granted 9 11 13 15 12 11 4 5 7 9 18 6 120 
			   
			  Northamptonshire  
			 Number of applications made 104 100 106 115 88 86 50 40 81 97 103 116 1086 
			 Number of these applications granted 82 75 88 102 72 77 44 36 65 84 84 94 903 
		
	
	This is internal management information and is subject to change. This information has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols.
	A full breakdown of the above by nationality can be found in the Library (supplied in Annex A, B, C and D of background note).

Immigration: Law

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate her Department has made of the cost to businesses of familiarisation with provisions of immigration law.

Damian Green: No estimate has been made of the general costs faced by the private sector in familiarising itself with immigration law. However, whenever there is a significant change in immigration law, the costs of familiarisation associated with that change are estimated. For example, the impact assessment for the introduction of interim limits on migration (IA No: HO0007 published on 28 June 2010) presented an estimate of £60,000 for a one-off cost to the private sector. This estimate was based on the costs of time taken by regulated private sector advisers to familiarise themselves with the changes.

Immigration: Overseas Students

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects the review of the points-based immigration system as it relates to overseas students to be completed; and if she will make a statement.

Damian Green: The Government are reviewing all migration routes to the UK and expect to announce any changes to the system in due course.

Internet

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she is taking to implement her Department's proposals to end the storage of internet and email records without good reason.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 19 October 2010
	As part of the Strategic Defence and Security Review, the Government have confirmed that preserving the ability of the security, intelligence and law enforcement agencies to obtain communication data in accordance with law is vital to the work these agencies do to protect the public. The reasons they may require the disclosure of such data, subject to strict safeguards, include safeguarding national security and for purposes including preventing and detecting crime and, in an emergency, preventing death and injury. Communications data transaction records are generated, processed and retained by communications service providers in the course of their business. By notice under regulations, service providers may be required to retain securely specific data for 12 months where those data are not otherwise retained. The Government will not require any unnecessary or disproportionate retention of data under the regulations and will ensure that our response to changing technology is compatible with the Government's approach to information storage and civil liberties.

Investigatory Powers Tribunal

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will bring forward proposals to create a right of appeal in respect of the rulings of the Investigatory Powers Tribunal.

Nick Herbert: The Government consider that the tribunal acts as a quasi court of appeal in respect of the remit set out for it in the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, and therefore is not considering proposals to create a right of appeal in respect of its rulings.
	For example, the tribunal has wide jurisdiction to consider complaints regarding the use of interception powers and as regards the interception of communications to investigate whether the persons against whom a complainant makes allegations have intercepted communications of the complainant and to investigate the authority for any interceptions that are found to have occurred. A claim may be based on an allegation that a convention right has been violated or on other public law grounds.
	Further, a claim can be brought against any of the intelligence services in relation to their use or handling of any intercepted material, whether by reference to the convention or on other public law grounds. The tribunal has extensive powers to require the disclosure or provision of documents and information.

Investigatory Powers Tribunal

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will bring forward proposals to establish further accountability mechanisms in respect of the Investigatory Powers Tribunal.

Nick Herbert: The Government consider that the tribunal itself provides an oversight role in respect of the use of certain powers defined in the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 by the intelligence services; and therefore there is no need to establish further accountability mechanisms for it.
	In support of these powers, members of the tribunal must either hold or have held high judicial office, or be a qualified lawyer of at least 10 years' standing. The president of the tribunal must hold or have held high judicial office. The tribunal has extensive powers to require the disclosure or provision of documents and information. Further, when investigating or considering any claim, the tribunal may require the Interception of Communications Commissioner to provide "all such assistance" as it thinks fit. And finally, the tribunal has power to award compensation and to make such other orders as it thinks fit including orders quashing or cancelling any warrant and orders requiring the destruction of any records of information which has been obtained in exercise of any power conferred by a warrant. If a claim is successful, the tribunal is required to make a report of its findings to the Prime Minister.

Khat

Gisela Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 13 October 2010,  Official Report, column 304W, on khat, whether her Department has undertaken a breakdown of the use of khat by ethnic origin of users.

James Brokenshire: The preliminary findings on the level of khat use from the British Crime Survey are based on only six months data and as such it is not possible to provide a robust breakdown of estimates of khat use by ethnic origin.

Passports: Islamabad

Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many passports are being held at the embassy in  (a) Islamabad and  (b) Abu Dhabi pending return to visa applicants.

Damian Green: holding answer 18 October 2010
	I am pleased to report that the Pakistan visa operation has performed well throughout this summer, with the majority of applications being processed within UK Border Agency customer service standards.
	The UK Border Agency aims to process 90% of non-settlement applications within 15 working days, 98% within six weeks and 100% within 12 weeks. For settlement applications, the target is to process 95% within 12 weeks and 100% within 24 weeks. Actual processing times for applications resolved during August that were lodged, for example, at the visa application centre in Islamabad, are shown in the following table. The most popular types of visa application are included in the table. Details of processing times for other categories of application, and for processing times for applications lodged at the other visa application centres in Pakistan, can be found on the following website:
	www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk
	
		
			  Percentage 
			   Processing time 
			weeks 
			  Application type  15 (days)  6  12  24 
			 Family visit 80 91 98 99 
			 PBS Tier 4 90 94 97 99 
			 Settlement 67 78 92 98 
		
	
	As of 14 October, the Islamabad operation has 715 live applications for non-settlement UK visas pending decision and 3,236 in respect of settlement applications, while the Abu Dhabi operation has 1,958 live applications for UK visas pending decision. The figure for Abu Dhabi includes 393 passports held pending the processing of applications from the Gulf.
	This information is based on management information. It is provisional and subject to change.

Police: Arrests

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many arrests have been made under section 14 of the Policing and Crime Act 2009  (a) nationally and  (b) by each police force since April 2010.

Nick Herbert: The information requested on arrests is not collected centrally.
	The arrests collection held by the Home Office covers arrests for recorded crime (notifiable offences) only, broken down at a main offence group level, covering categories such as violence against the person and robbery. The data reported to the Home Office cannot be broken down into specific offences.
	Information on arrests in 2010-11 is planned for publication in March 2011.

Police: Bassetlaw

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers there were in Bassetlaw  (a) on the latest date for which figures are available and  (b) in 2007.

Nick Herbert: Police personnel statistics are not collected by the Home Office by parliamentary constituency. The Bassetlaw, Newark and Sherwood (B) Division had 292 police officers on 31 March 2010 and 267 police officers on 31 March 2007.

Police: Compensation

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much compensation has been paid to people whose properties were wrongly forcibly entered by the police in each of the last three years  (a) nationally and  (b) in Milton Keynes.

Nick Herbert: Chief police officers are responsible for the exercise of policing powers by their officers and for the management of the budgets for their individual forces. The information on compensation payments is not collected centrally.

Police: Dorset

Conor Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much funding per head of population was allocated to Dorset Police Authority for the financial year  (a) 2010-11 and  (b) 1996-97.

Nick Herbert: The information available is set out in the following table.
	The Government do not distribute grant to police authorities on a per capita basis. The police funding formula used includes data relating to demographic and social characteristics to reflect the relative needs of each police authority area. Police grants allocated by the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Welsh Assembly Government also take into account the relative tax base of each police authority. Grant allocations in 2010-11 were damped to limit year-on-year variations.
	
		
			  Dorset police authority total grant funding 1996-97 and 2010-11 
			  Police authority  Total grant funding 1996-97( 1)   (£ million)  Resident population 1996-97( 2)  Total grant funding 2010-11( 3)   (£ million)  Resident population 2010( 4) 
			 Dorset 54.7 672,987 75.7 712,842 
			 (1) Total grant funding comprises: general grant (Home Office police grant and Communities and Local Government revenue support grant and national non-domestic rates) and capital provision. (2) The mid 1996 population estimates are based on the 1991 census. ONS have published a back series for the same period, aligned to the 2001 census. (3 )Total grant funding comprises; general grant (Home Office police grant and Communities and Local Government revenue support grant and national non-domestic rates) and specific grants include crime fighting fund, neighbourhood policing fund/community support officers, basic command unit fund and rule 2 grant, Welsh top-up and capital provision. (4 )The population figures used in the 2010 settlement were 2004-based sub-national projections.  Note: Under the terms of the neighbourhood policing fund, forces that do not employ the agreed number of PCSOs will have some money deducted from their budget the following year.  Sources: Grant figures-Home Office Population data-ONS

Police: Equipment

Robert Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will take steps to increase the use of body-worn video and camera equipment by police officers.

Nick Herbert: Body-worn video and camera equipment is one of a number of tools that can make a contribution to fighting crime and antisocial behaviour. However, decisions on the deployment and use of such equipment are operational matters for chief officers based on their assessment of the policing requirements of their respective forces.

Police: Finance

Conor Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much funding was allocated to each police authority area for the financial year  (a) 2010-11 and  (b) 1996-97.

Nick Herbert: The information requested is set out in the following table:
	
		
			  Police authority total grant funding, 1996-97 and 2010-11 
			  £ million 
			  Force  1996-97( 1)  2010-11( 2, 3, 4) 
			 Avon and Somerset 135.7 207.3 
			 Bedfordshire 51.0 81.8 
			 Cambridgeshire 57.1 93.9 
			 Cheshire 85.0 137.2 
			 City of London 28.5 109.6 
			 Cleveland 67.6 108.0 
			 Cumbria 51.0 76.9 
			 Derbyshire 81.1 128.8 
			 Devon and Cornwall 132.0 214.2 
			 Dorset 54.7 75.7 
			 Durham 65.2 102.8 
			 Dyfed-Powys 41.6 64.1 
			 Essex 133.9 204.7 
			 Gloucestershire 51.7 69.6 
			 Greater Manchester 315.6 521.9 
			 Gwent 55.8 92.7 
			 Hampshire 152.0 236.7 
			 Hertfordshire 76.8 138.7 
			 Humberside 94.9 145.4 
			 Kent 145.5 223.3 
			 Lancashire 146.7 231.5 
			 Leicestershire 85.4 134.8 
			 Lincolnshire 52.7 75.8 
			 Merseyside 208.9 302.1 
			 Metropolitan 1,563.1 2,292.9 
			 Norfolk 66.7 102.1 
			 North Wales 61.6 93.1 
			 North Yorkshire 61.1 88.6 
			 Northamptonshire 51.2 86.6 
			 Northumbria 178.2 279.3 
			 Nottinghamshire 107.5 160.6 
			 South Wales 138.7 203.6 
			 South Yorkshire 144.3 227.9 
			 Staffordshire 97.6 137.4 
			 Suffolk 52.8 82.2 
			 Surrey 77.9 118.2 
			 Sussex 131.6 195.7 
			 Thames Valley 174.6 276.9 
			 Warwickshire 42.4 63.0 
			 West Mercia 89.3 141.7 
			 West Midlands 317.7 552.0 
			 West Yorkshire 239.5 384.8 
			 Wiltshire 52.3 /b.3 
			 Total England and Wales 6,018.5 9,339.3 
			 (1) Total grant funding comprises: General Grant (Home Office Police Grant and Communities and Local Government Revenue Support Grant and National Non-Domestic Rates) and Capital Provision.  (2) Total grant funding comprises: General Grant (Home Office Police Grant and Communities and Local Government Revenue Support Grant and National Non-Domestic Rates) and Specific Grants include-Crime Fighting Fund, Neighbourhood Policing Fund/Community Support Officers, Basic Command Unit Fund and Rule 2 Grant, Welsh Top-up and Capital Provision. Please note: Under the terms of the Neighbourhood Policing Fund, forces that do not employ the agreed number of PCSOs will have some money deducted from their budget the following year.  (3) Total grant funding excludes the following for comparison purposes: Dedicated Security Grant, Counter Terrorism Funding, Pensions Top-up Grant and some minor grant flows.  (4) Total grant funding figures taken after the in-year reductions to Core Government funding of £125 million finalised in July.

Police: Pay

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what payments to the  (a) current and  (b) previous chief constable of Essex police (i) have been made during each of the last three years and (ii) are planned for each of the next two years.

Nick Herbert: Chief officers' pay and benefits are negotiated nationally through the Police Negotiating Board and provisions for these are contained in the 2003 Police Regulations and Determinations. It is for the police authority to determine payments other than salary to the chief constable, in accordance with legislative requirements. Information about these payments is held by police authorities and is not held centrally by the Home Office.
	The salary for the chief constable of Essex police for each of the last three years is shown in the following table.
	The Government's policy is to freeze the pay of public sector workers earning over £21,000 for two years. We would expect this to apply to police officers, but future decisions on officers' pay will take account of the review of remuneration and conditions of service and any recommendations from the Police Negotiating Board.
	The salary for the chief constable of Essex police for each of the last three years is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Chief constable  salary 
			   £ 
			 From 1 December 2007 137,211 
			 From 1 September 2008 140,847 
			 From 1 September 2009 144,510 
			 From 1 September 2010 148,194

Police: Sick Leave

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many days each police force lost to sickness absence  (a) in total and  (b) per officer in each of the last three years.

Nick Herbert: The available data are provided in the following tables which show the total contracted hours lost to sickness by police force, 2007-08 to 2009-10. Figures are provided as 'hours lost' rather than 'days lost', as days lost to sickness are not collected centrally. This provides more accurate figures as it allows for the effect of different shift lengths.
	
		
			  Total contracted hours lost to sickness, by police force, 2007-08 to 2009-10( 1, 2) 
			  2007-08 
			   Police staff( 3)  Police officers 
			   H ours lost  Hours lost  Number of officers  Hours lost per officer 
			 Avon and Somerset 279,280 283,296 3,407 83 
			 Bedfordshire 69,073 111,583 1,207 92 
			 Cambridgeshire 84,087 113,233 1,379 82 
			 Cheshire 118,479 129,479 2,181 59 
			 Cleveland 68,978 107,024 1,692 63 
			 Cumbria 63,142 90,912 1,246 73 
			 Derbyshire 89,851 152,707 2,095 73 
			 Devon and Cornwall 216,410 267,228 3,529 76 
			 Dorset 85,050 109,082 1,518 72 
			 Durham 65,630 118,117 1,632 72 
			 Dyfed-Powys 65,963 94,055 1,194 79 
			 Essex 212,218 244,024 3,385 72 
			 Gloucestershire 75,407 115,511 1,353 85 
			 Greater Manchester 327,095 603,624 8,034 75 
			 Gwent 81,245 139,511 1,487 94 
			 Hampshire 189,525 250,608 3,912 64 
			 Hertfordshire 138,882 173,323 2,162 80 
			 Humberside 97,242 112,863 2,243 50 
			 Kent 191,132 248,472 3,718 67 
			 Lancashire 150,713 248,684 3,675 68 
			 Leicestershire 113,278 152,801 2,241 68 
			 Lincolnshire 67,255 98,677 1,201 82 
			 London, City of 22,521 43,334 830 52 
			 Merseyside 210,672 295,674 4,477 66 
			 Metropolitan Police 1,266,688 1,757,619 31,460 56 
			 Norfolk 83,018 120,546 1,578 76 
			 Northamptonshire 76,567 79,856 1,309 61 
			 Northumbria 149,370 309,263 3,983 78 
			 North Wales 55,789 99,459 1,579 63 
			 North Yorkshire 104,083 133,364 1,581 84 
			 Nottinghamshire 159,620 186,740 2,369 79 
			 South Wales 141,232 306,786 3,244 95 
			 South Yorkshire 200,673 240,930 3,201 75 
			 Staffordshire 126,934 193,350 2,269 85 
			 Suffolk 70,791 99,844 1,319 76 
			 Surrey 117,200 133,628 1,944 69 
			 Sussex 201,575 236,489 3,075 77 
			 Thames Valley 221,754 293,268 4,186 70 
			 Warwickshire 74,868 92,691 1,036 90 
			 West Mercia 140,973 184,595 2,486 74 
			 West Midlands 324,456 587,302 8,412 70 
			 West Yorkshire 275,824 389,012 5,822 67 
			 Wiltshire 98,281 115,805 1,210 96 
			 Total 6,972,820 9,864,366 141,859 70 
		
	
	
		
			  2008-09 
			   Police staff( 3)  Police officers 
			   H ours lost  Hours lost  Number of officers  Hours lost per officer 
			 Avon and Somerset 260,928 317,150 3,355 95 
			 Bedfordshire 70,132 90,826 1,244 73 
			 Cambridgeshire 88,268 116,197 1,450 80 
			 Cheshire 111,190 113,254 2,180 52 
			 Cleveland 68,212 101,653 1,756 58 
			 Cumbria 78,621 83,958 1,284 65 
			 Derbyshire 82,072 134,960 2,137 63 
			 Devon and Cornwall 199,253 257,557 3,556 72 
			 Dorset 91,909 107,349 1,512 71 
			 Durham 66,271 109,677 1,588 69 
			 Dyfed-Powys 37,784 57,403 1,197 48 
			 Essex 213,384 246,184 3,484 71 
			 Gloucestershire 73,215 103,205 1,372 75 
			 Greater Manchester 353,729 524,989 8,232 64 
			 Gwent 83,161 147,317 1,438 102 
			 Hampshire 196,680 242,568 3,811 64 
			 Hertfordshire 151,945 176,399 2,172 81 
			 Humberside 110,427 110,997 2,110 53 
			 Kent 192,391 243,886 3,799 64 
			 Lancashire 155,294 188,447 3,753 50 
			 Leicestershire 98,886 117,227 2,363 50 
			 Lincolnshire 77,665 95,704 1,229 78 
			 London, City of 23,909 36,197 813 44 
			 Merseyside 197,316 301,056 4,494 67 
			 Metropolitan Police 1,208,950 1,727,755 32,610 53 
			 Norfolk 95,796 123,653 1,668 74 
			 Northamptonshire 74,065 62,458 1,326 47 
			 Northumbria 147,453 268,203 4,111 65 
			 North Wales 63,209 106,006 1,586 67 
			 North Yorkshire 95,973 123,104 1,460 84 
			 Nottinghamshire 155,372 174,299 2,408 72 
			 South Wales 134,192 293,434 3,146 93 
			 South Yorkshire 213,912 221,364 3,053 73 
			 Staffordshire 131,584 189,389 2,211 86 
			 Suffolk(3) - - 1,291 - 
			 Surrey 134,050 122,932 1,872 66 
			 Sussex 217,044 229,711 3,196 72 
			 Thames Valley 220,804 266,064 4,317 62 
			 Warwickshire 63,226 100,394 994 101 
			 West Mercia 160,629 168,618 2,471 68 
			 West Midlands 266,137 464,709 8,637 54 
			 West Yorkshire 289,576 403,193 5,854 69 
			 Wiltshire 93,387 108,914 1,229 89 
			 Total 6,848,000 9,178,361 143,770 64 
		
	
	
		
			  2009-10 
			   Police staff( 3)  Police officers 
			   H ours lost  Hours lost  Number of officers  Hours lost per officer 
			 Avon and Somerset 218,924 240,253 3,302 73 
			 Bedfordshire 83,451 88,117 1,246 71 
			 Cambridgeshire 90,802 95,316 1,471 65 
			 Cheshire 95,697 98,397 2,155 46 
			 Cleveland 58,594 87,062 1,724 50 
			 Cumbria 72,937 90,131 1,238 73 
			 Derbyshire 92,577 132,494 2,074 64 
			 Devon and Cornwall 211,290 261,306 3,556 73 
			 Dorset 99,891 95,693 1,486 64 
			 Durham 77,506 103,425 1,507 69 
			 Dyfed-Powys 49,831 82,126 1,195 69 
			 Essex 232,834 234,760 3,606 65 
			 Gloucestershire 67,675 100,609 1,309 77 
			 Greater Manchester 360,672 547,773 8,148 67 
			 Gwent 79,173 106,905 1,437 74 
			 Hampshire 96,555 120,712 3,748 32 
			 Hertfordshire 136,114 137,857 2,130 65 
			 Humberside 90,131 93,859 2,058 46 
			 Kent 199,509 221,283 3,787 58 
			 Lancashire 161,842 223,784 3,649 61 
			 Leicestershire 92,714 106,436 2,317 46 
			 Lincolnshire 79,475 119,403 1,206 99 
			 London, City of 22,699 42,640 852 50 
			 Merseyside 209,892 304,163 4,516 67 
			 Metropolitan Police 1,240,001 1,767,339 33,367 53 
			 Norfolk 87,164 102,755 1,662 62 
			 Northamptonshire 87,421 74,093 1,343 55 
			 Northumbria 162,765 249,849 4,187 60 
			 North Wales 66,913 109,296 1,590 69 
			 North Yorkshire 89,196 95,986 1,486 65 
			 Nottinghamshire 138,200 160,437 2,409 67 
			 South Wales 155,178 269,962 3,148 86 
			 South Yorkshire 196,337 170,991 2,953 58 
			 Staffordshire 136,221 176,142 2,161 82 
			 Suffolk 39,344 58,899 1,246 47 
			 Surrey 145,888 124,528 1,890 66 
			 Sussex 207,022 206,261 3,213 64 
			 Thames Valley 251,601 295,599 4,434 67 
			 Warwickshire 67,674 94,909 973 98 
			 West Mercia 144,268 173,596 2,391 73 
			 West Midlands 252,498 495,483 8,626 57 
			 West Yorkshire 249,995 351,388 5,758 61 
			 Wiltshire 69,924 64,476 1,181 55 
			 Total 6,768,392 8,776,492 143,734 61 
			 (1) Figures are provisional and have not been verified by forces. (2) Figures on sickness absence are collected as hours lost. Figures on days lost are not collected centrally. (3) Figures for staff include police staff, police community support officers, designated officers and traffic wardens. They do not include police officers.

Police: Working Hours

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much each police force spent on overtime  (a) in total and  (b) on average per officer in each of the last three years.

Nick Herbert: Information about police service expenditure, including overtime, is available on the website of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance Accountants
	http://www.tisonline.net/
	Two tables follow: Table 1 shows the past spend on overtime by force (split by officer and staff overtime); Table 2 calculates overtime spend by officer, based on data from Table 1 and police officer strength recorded in Home Office Annual Data Returns.
	
		
			  Table 1: S pend on overtime by force (split by officer and staff overtime) 
			  £ million 
			   Spend on officer overtime  Spend on police staff and PCSO overtime  Total spend on overtime 
			  Force  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 
			 Avon and Somerset 6.996 6.535 6.239 1.216 1.403 1.348 8.212 7.938 7.587 
			 Bedfordshire 3.993 3.962 4.079 0.401 0.447 0.485 4.394 4.409 4.564 
			 Cambridgeshire 4.238 4.584 3.37 0.32 0.481 0.406 4.558 5.065 3.776 
			 Cheshire 6.925 4.425 4.554 1.677 2.08 1.415 8.602 6.505 5.969 
			 Cleveland 4.369 3.81313 3.306 0.352 0.33 0.339 4.721 4.15 3.645 
			 Cumbria 2.444 1.712 1.359 0.741 0.748 0.385 3.185 2.46 1.744 
			 Derbyshire 4.854 4.256 3.533 0.791 0.761 0.47 5.645 5.017 4.003 
			 Devon and Cornwall 6.548 6.467 5.12 1.113 1.295 1.183 7.661 7.762 6.303 
			 Dorset 3.243 3.181 2.608 0.555 0.533 0.466 3.798 3.714 3.074 
			 Durham 3.596 2.702 2.678 0.282 0.348 0.34 3.878 3.05 3.018 
			 Dyfed-Powys 2.566 2.329 2.339 0.269 0.29 0.307 2.835 2.619 2.646 
			 Essex 11.732 9.623 7.714 1.561 1.47 1.157 13.293 11.093 8.871 
			 Gloucestershire 3.353 2.662 3.519 0.378 0.327 0.295 3.731 2.989 3.814 
			 Greater Manchester 23.322 23.319 20.875 3.255 3.534 2.766 26.577 26.853 23.641 
			 Gwent 4.134 3.548 3.299 1.265 1.277 1.203 5.399 4.825 4.502 
			 Hampshire 11.48 8.871 8.091 2.012 1.575 1.187 13.492 10.446 9.278 
			 Hertfordshire 7.272 7.196 5.663 1.107 1.124 1.166 8.379 8.32 6.829 
			 Humberside 6.874 5.402 5.598 1.295 1.184 1.129 8.169 6.586 6.727 
			 Kent (1)- 10.084 7.055 0.564 2.286 1.597 (1)- 12.37 8.652 
			 Lancashire 8.918 7.801 7.004 1.072 1.121 1.052 9.99 8.922 8.056 
			 Leicestershire 5.476 5.169 4.527 0.583 0.602 0.381 6.059 5.771 4.908 
			 Lincolnshire 3.708 2.68 2.49 0.418 0.368 0.373 4.126 3.048 2.863 
			 London, City of 2.731 2.141 2.342 0.283 0.223 0.211 3.014 2.364 2.553 
			 Merseyside 11.071 10.8465 10.853 1.876 1.84 2.203 12.947 12.69 13.056 
			 Metropolitan Police 144.957 137.876 (1)- 18.67 17.396 (1)- 163.62 155.27 (1)- 
			 Norfolk 4.201 3.298 3.034 0.54 0.54 0.468 4.741 3.838 3.502 
			 Northamptonshire 3.478 2.829 (1)- 1.005 1.083 (1)- 4.483 3.912 (1)- 
			 Northumbria 7.878 7.424 (1)- 0.017 1.178 (1)- 7.895 8.602 (1)- 
			 North Wales 3.626 2.738 3.056 0.489 0.504 0.583 4.115 3.242 3.639 
			 North Yorkshire 2.996 2.477 3.992 0.744 0.669 0.845 3.74 3.146 4.837 
			 Nottinghamshire (1)- 5.469 6.057 (1)- 0.848 0.727 (1)- 6.317 6.784 
			 South Wales (1)- 6.449 6.18 (1)- 0.771 0.58 (1)- 7.22 6.76 
			 South Yorkshire 10.167 8.329 9.209 0.456 2.09 2.076 10.623 10.419 11.285 
			 Staffordshire 5.104 4.969 5.277 0.621 0.582 0.603 5.725 5.551 5.88 
			 Suffolk 3.543 2.856 2.1 0.38 0.454 0.414 3.923 3.31 2.514 
			 Surrey 5.93 4.643 0.088 1.841 1.962 0.701 7.771 6.605 0.789 
			 Sussex 5.946 6.598 6.684 0.629 0.92 0.912 6.575 7.518 7.596 
			 Thames Valley 13.762 (1)- 10.767 2.35 (1)- 2.187 16.112 (1)- 12.954 
			 Warwickshire 3.753 3.33 2.341 0.702 0.434 0.435 4.455 3.764 2.776 
			 West Mercia 5.56 5.77 4.864 0.641 0.742 0.576 6.201 6.512 5.44 
			 West Midlands 24.152 21.301 17.95 2.27 2.16 1.9774 26.422 23.461 19.92 
			 West Yorkshire 18.128 13.79 12.496 6.889 7.395 2.708 25.017 21.185 15.204 
			 Wiltshire (1)- 3.18 (1)- (1)- 0.568 (1)- (1)- 3.748 (1)- 
			 (1) Data unavailable  Source:  Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Overtime spend per officer 
			   Officer strength FTE at March 31 of financial year  Spend per officer (£) 
			  Force  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 
			 Avon and Somerset 3,407 3,355 3,302 2,054 1,948 1,890 
			 Bedfordshire 1,207 1,246 1,246 3,309 3,180 3,274 
			 Cambridgeshire 1,380 1,450 1,471 3,072 3,162 2,290 
			 Cheshire 2,181 2,180 2,142 3,175 2,030 2,126 
			 Cleveland 1,692 1,756 1,724 2,582 2,171 1,917 
			 Cumbria 1,246 1,284 1,238 1,961 1,333 1,098 
			 Derbyshire 2,095 2,137 2,074 2,317 1,992 1,703 
			 Devon and Cornwall 3,529 3,556 3,561 1,855 1,819 1,438 
			 Dorset 1,518 1,512 1,486 2,137 2,104 1,754 
			 Durham 1,632 1,589 1,507 2,203 1,701 1,777 
			 Dyfed-Powys 1,194 1,197 1,195 2,149 1,945 1,958 
			 Essex 3,385 3,484 3,606 3,466 2,762 2,139 
			 Gloucestershire 1,353 1,371 1,309 2,478 1,942 2,689 
			 Greater Manchester 8,034 8,232 8,148 2,903 2,833 2,562 
			 Gwent 1,487 1,438 1,437 2,781 2,467 2,296 
			 Hampshire 3,912 3,811 3,748 2,934 2,328 2,159 
			 Hertfordshire 2,162 2,172 2,130 3,364 3,313 2,659 
			 Humberside 2,243 2,110 2,058 3,064 2,560 2,721 
			 Kent 3,718 3,799 3,834 (1)- 2,655 1,840 
			 Lancashire 3,675 3,753 3,649 2,427 2,079 1,919 
			 Leicestershire 2,241 2,363 2,317 2,443 2,187 1,954 
			 Lincolnshire 1,201 1,229 1,206 3,086 2,180 2,064 
			 London, City of 830 813 852 3,288 2,632 2,748 
			 Merseyside 4,477 4,494 4,516 2,473 2,414 2,403 
			 Metropolitan Police 31,460 32,610 33,367 4,608 4,228 (1)- 
			 Norfolk 1,575 1,668 1,665 2,668 1,977 1,822 
			 Northamptonshire 1,309 1,326 1,343 2,657 2,133 (1)- 
			 Northumbria 3,983 4,111 4,187 1,978 1,806 (1)- 
			 North Wales 1,579 1,586 1,590 2,297 1,726 1,922 
			 North Yorkshire 1,581 1,460 1,486 1,895 1,697 2,687 
			 Nottinghamshire 2,369 2,408 2,409 (1)- 2,271 2,514 
			 South Wales 3,244 3,146 3,148 (1)- 2,050 1,963 
			 South Yorkshire 3,201 3,053 2,953 3,176 2,728 3,119 
			 Staffordshire 2,269 2,211 2,161 2,249 2,248 2,442 
			 Suffolk 1,319 1,291 1,246 2,687 2,212 1,686 
			 Surrey 1,944 1,872 1,890 3,051 2,480 47 
			 Sussex 3,075 3,196 3,213 1,934 2,065 2,080 
			 Thames Valley 4,186 4,317 4,434 3,288 (1)- 2,428 
			 Warwickshire 1,036 994 973 3,624 3,352 2,406 
			 West Mercia 2,486 2,471 2,391 2,236 2,335 2,034 
			 West Midlands 8,412 8,637 8,626 2,871 2,466 2,081 
			 West Yorkshire 5,822 5,854 5,759 3,114 2,356 2,170 
			 Wiltshire 1,210 1,250 1,181 (1)- 2,544 (1)- 
			 (1) Data unavailable  Note: It should be noted that some officers will claim no overtime during a year, but the Home Office does hold information on the number of these officers.  Source:  Home Office Annual Data Returns

Serious Crime Divisions: Prostitution

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many brothel visits have been made by officers from Serious Crime Division 9 in the Metropolitan police area in each month since January 2010.

James Brokenshire: The Metropolitan police have provided the following table which shows the number of visits carried out by SCD9, broken down by the borough in which they were carried out.
	
		
			  BOCU  brothel  visits 2010 
			   January  February  March  April  May  June  July  August  Total 
			 Waltham Forest - 5 11 4 - 3 2 6 31 
			 Hackney - 4 - - - - - - 4 
			 Newham - 4 4 1 - 2 - - 11 
			 Tower Hamlets - - 1 - - - - 12 13 
			 Greenwich - - 8 - - - - 3 11 
			 Westminster 8 2 - 8 - - 1 1 20 
			 Camden 2 - 1 - - 1 1 8 13 
			 Wandsworth - - - - - - 1 - 1 
			 Islington - - - - - 1 - - 1 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham - - - - - - - 1 1 
			 Lambeth 1 - - - - - - - 1 
			 Barking and Dagenham - - - - - - - 1 1 
			 Bromley - - - - - - 1 1 2 
			 Kingston upon Thames - - - 1 - - - - 1 
			 Ealing - - - 1 - - - - 1 
			 Brent - - - - - - 7 - 7 
			 Barnet - - 1 - - 1 2 - 4 
			 Haringey 2 1 - 1 - 1 1 - 6 
			 Enfield - - - - - 1 1 - 2 
			 Redbridge - - - - - 1 - - 1 
			 Lewisham - - - - - - - - 0 
			 Kensington and Chelsea - - - - - - - - 0 
			 Southwark - - - - - - - - 0 
			 Bexley - - - - - - - - 0 
			 Havering - - - - - - - - 0 
			 Croydon - - - - - - - - 0 
			 Hillingdon - - - - - - - - 0 
			 Sutton - - - - - - - - 0 
			 Merton - - - - - - - - 0 
			 Harrow - - - - - - - - 0 
			 Richmond upon Thames - - - - - - - - 0 
			 Hounslow - - - - - - - - 0 
			  132

Work Permits

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many grants of settlement have been made  (a) on the basis of employment with a work permit and  (b) to (i) spouses and (ii) dependants of those granted settlement on the basis of employment with a work permit in each of the last eight quarters for which figures are available.

Damian Green: The latest available quarterly statistics (Q3 2008 to Q2 2010) are provided in the following table.
	Data on grants of settlement made on the basis of employment with a work permit to both principal applicants and spouses and dependants combined are published in Table 4.3 in the quarterly series the 'Control of Immigration: Quarterly Statistical Summary, United Kingdom'. Settlement data for third quarter 2010 are scheduled for publication on 25 November 2010.
	Home Office statistical publications are available from the Library and from the Home Office Research, Development and Statistics website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration-asylum-stats.html
	
		
			  Grants of  settlement( 1,)(  2, )( 3)  by selected category of grant, excluding EEA and Swiss nationals( 4) , Q3 2008 to Q2 2010 
			  Number of persons 
			   2008  2009( 5,6)  2010( 6) 
			  Broad category of grant  Q3  Q4  Q1  Q2  Q3  Q4  Q1  Q2 
			 Employment with a work permit after five years 5,585 5,710 6,510 6,140 6,605 6,165 7,675 5,915 
			 spouses and dependants 7,360 8,185 9,110 9,245 9,835 8,620 11,060 7,965 
			  O f which: 
			 spouses 3,030 3,350 3,655 3,685 4,105 3,660 4,605 3,255 
			 dependants 4,335 4,840 5,455 5,560 5,730 4,965 6,455 4,710 
			 (1) Figures rounded to the nearest five and may not sum to the totals shown because of independent rounding. (2) Includes reconsideration cases and the outcome of appeals. (3) May include a small number of cases in which a decision is recorded twice, where an individual has dual nationality. (4) Data exclude dependants of EEA and Swiss nationals in confirmed relationships granted permanent residence. (5) Revised figures. (6) Provisional figures.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Audit Commission

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer of 7 September 2010,  Official Report, column 179W, on Audit Commission, what steps his Department is taking to develop a mutual model for the Audit Commission; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  whether he has assessed the merits of establishing a fully mutual model to undertake the functions of the Audit Commission; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Neill: As my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State told the House on 7 September 2010,  Official Report, columns 179-186, we will consider a range of options for moving the Audit Commission's in-house practice to the private sector. The Government would be happy to see a mutual set up by existing Audit Commission staff, if this proves to be appropriate and practical. The Commission has appointed Gareth Davies as managing director of its audit practice and he is leading the practice's work on these matters.

Charities: Finance

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the monetary value of local authority funding for  (a) all charities,  (b) charities working with children, young people and families in each year since 2007-08; if he will make an estimate of the equivalent figure for (i) 2011-12, (ii) 2012-13, (iii) 2013-14 and (iv) 2014-15; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Stunell: The latest figures (for 2007-08 from the NCVO's UK Civil Society Almanac 2010) show that local authorities fund the voluntary sector to the value of £6.6 billion. Data on funding to charities working with children, young people and families are not held centrally.
	Spending decisions are, and will continue to be, a matter for local authorities. We have a rich diversity of voluntary organisations, charities, faith groups, co-operatives, social enterprises and local housing trusts-all of who already make a huge contribution to local life. The big society means using their potential and involving them even more in delivering what people want. I do not expect local authorities to respond by passing on disproportionate cuts to other service providers, especially the voluntary sector.
	I also draw the attention of my hon. Friend to my Department's press release of 14 October 2010 on the valuable role of the voluntary sector, a copy of which I have placed in the Library.

Departmental Pay

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what allowances and payments in addition to salary were available to officials in his Department and its non-departmental public bodies in each year since 1997; and what the monetary value was of payments and allowances of each type in each such year.

Bob Neill: The Department for Communities and Local Government was created in 2006.
	We are currently carrying out a review of all allowances paid in DCLG. The following allowances are payable to officials in the Main Department:
	Temporary Responsibility Allowance
	Recruitment and Retention Allowance
	Procurement Allowances
	Accountancy Allowances
	Analyst Allowances-introduced in 2009
	Supervisory Allowances
	Private Office Allowances
	On-Call Allowances
	Fast Stream Allowances-being withdrawn
	Detached Duty Allowances
	Duty Officer Allowances
	We also pay the following historical allowances to a small number of staff on a reserved rights basis:
	Market Related Allowance
	Typing Proficiency Allowance
	ADP Allowance
	In addition, non-consolidated payments are made to high performing staff at the end of each performance year and the Department operates a scheme for all staff below the senior civil service under which individuals or teams may receive a small non-consolidated award in recognition of an outstanding contribution over a limited period.
	The following table shows the amount paid to officials in allowances and bonuses since that date.
	
		
			  £ 
			   Allowances  Bonuses 
			 2006-07 514,000 838,250 
			 2007-08 569,000 1,018,350 
			 2008-09 522,000 1,284,549 
			 2009-10 674,000 1,188,133

Fire Services: Bassetlaw

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many  (a) retained and  (b) full-time fire crew there were at each fire station in Bassetlaw on the latest date for which figures are available.

Bob Neill: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The latest levels of staffing of wholetime and retained firefighters are collected for each Fire and Rescue Authority. Figures for Nottinghamshire and England are provided in the table.
	
		
			  Levels of staffing of wholetime and retained firefighters in Nottinghamshire and England in 2009-10 
			   2009-10 
			  Wholetime( 1)  
			 Nottinghamshire 565 
			 England 29,735 
			   
			  Retained duty system( 2)  
			 Nottinghamshire 198 
			 England 11,899 
			 (1) Full-time equivalent (2 )In 24-hour units of cover  Source: Fire and Rescue Services Annual Returns to CLG

Fire Services: Finance

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans he has for the future funding of fire authorities; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Neill: The provisional Local Government Finance Settlement for the period from 2011-12 will be announced in late November or early December, as in previous years. This includes the provisional formula grant allocations for fire and rescue authorities.
	Fire resource expenditure will reduce by 13% in real terms over the spending review period. Within this, central Government grants to local authorities will be reduced by 25% over the period. These savings will be back-loaded to years three and four of the period so that fire and rescue authorities will have the time to make changes and reforms necessary without impacting on the quality or breadth of services offered to their communities. Areas where we believe significant saving can be found include:
	Flexible staffing arrangements
	Improved sickness management
	Pay restraint and recruitment freezes
	Shared services/back office functions
	Improved procurement
	Sharing chief fire officers and other senior staff
	Voluntary amalgamations.

Homelessness

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what methodology his Department uses to collect data on homeless people; and whether he plans to take further steps to identify as such homeless people who do not present themselves to local authorities for assistance.

Grant Shapps: Data are collected quarterly from local housing authorities on their activities under homelessness legislation and are published by the Department on the CLG website. These statistics include information on decisions on applications for housing assistance, the number of households accepted as owed a main homelessness duty and the number of households in temporary accommodation arranged by local authorities under homelessness legislation:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/housing/housingresearch/housingstatistics/housingstatisticsby/homelessnessstatistics/publicationshomelessness/
	Information is also collected on rough sleeping. Since 1998, only councils in areas with a known, or suspected, rough sleeping problem were required to conduct an official rough sleeper count-which meant that only 70 councils submitted information to central Government. Figures published in July 2010 showed that under this previous method, on any given night there were 440 rough sleepers in England. However, when the remaining 256 councils provided estimates of the scale of the problem in their areas, this added a further estimated 807 rough sleepers-taking the national total to 1,247 rough sleepers on any given night. These figures are published on the CLG website here:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/corporate/statistics/roughsleepingcount2010
	Under new guidance all councils across England will now provide information on rough sleeping. This move follows consultation with homelessness charities and councils and is aimed at getting a clearer picture of the scale of the problem in each area so more targeted support can be provided to some of the most vulnerable in society.
	The Department also collects data on the users of Supporting People services which include some rough sleepers and single homeless people with support needs. These statistics are published quarterly by the department on the CLG website:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/housing/housingresearch/housingstatistics/housingstatisticsby/supportingpeople/
	One of the issues the recently established Ministerial Working Group on Preventing and Tackling Homelessness will consider is how to increase transparency of information available to communities to support them in meeting the needs of homeless people.

Homelessness

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what his most recent estimate is of the number of people who are homeless  (a) nationally,  (b) in London,  (c) in Lambeth borough and  (d) in Streatham constituency;
	(2)  what definition of homelessness his Department uses for the purposes of compiling statistical information.

Grant Shapps: Statutory homelessness data collected include the number of households accepted by local housing authorities as eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and in priority need, and therefore owed a main homelessness duty (to secure that suitable accommodation is available). If a settled home is not immediately available, the authority must secure temporary accommodation until a settled home becomes available and this information is also collected. These are published by the Department in the quarterly Statistical Release on Statutory Homelessness via the CLG website at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/housing/housingresearch/housingstatistics/housingstatisticsby/homelessnessstatistics/publicationshomelessness/
	The following table gives the most recent figures for households accepted as owed a main homelessness duty and households in temporary accommodation in England, London and Lambeth.
	
		
			  Quarter 2, 2010 
			  Number and rate per 1,000 households 
			   Households accepted as owed a main homelessness duty during the quarter  Households in temporary accommodation at the end of the quarter 
			 Lambeth 222 (1.8) 1,546 (12.8) 
			 London 2,300 (0.7) 37,910 (11.9) 
			 England 10,100 (0.5) 50,400 (2.3) 
			  Notes: 1. Figures are provisional. 2. Totals may not equal the sum of components because of rounding. 3. Lambeth figure is as reported. London and England figures include estimates for any non-responding authorities.  Source: P1E quarterly returns. 
		
	
	Information is also collected on rough sleeping. Since 1998, only councils in areas with a known, or suspected, rough sleeping problem were required to conduct an official rough sleeper count-which meant that only 70 councils submitted information to central Government. Figures published in July 2010 showed that under this previous method, on any given night there were 440 rough sleepers in England. However, when the remaining 256 councils provided estimates of the scale of the problem in their areas, this added a further estimated 807 rough sleepers-taking the national total to 1,247 rough sleepers on any given night. These figures are published on the CLG website at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/corporate/statistics/roughsleepingcount2010
	Under new guidance, all councils across England will now provide information on rough sleeping. This move follows consultation with homelessness charities and councils and is aimed at getting a clearer picture of the scale of the problem in each area so more targeted support can be provided to some of the most vulnerable in society.
	The following table gives the street count and estimates in England, London and Lambeth for 2010.
	
		
			   Street counts  Estimates  Total 
			 Lambeth 9 - 9 
			 London 241 76 317 
			 England 440 807 1,247 
			  Notes: 1. The 2010 local authority street counts were carried out between January 2009 and May 2010. 2. Local authorities who did not carry out a count submitted a single figure estimate of the number of people sleeping rough on any given night as at June 2010. 
		
	
	The figures provided in this answer are available both in the Library and via the CLG website at the links provided.
	The Department does not collect data on homelessness at parliamentary constituency level.

Local Government

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he expects to introduce proposals to devolve powers and responsibility to town and parish councils; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Neill: Town and parish councils already have a wide range of powers at their disposal. In the forthcoming localism Bill we intend to make provision to achieve our commitments to devolve further powers to local government and communities, including the area of parish involvement in neighbourhood planning.

Local Government

David Nuttall: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans he has to enable local authorities to reintroduce the committee system.

Bob Neill: As set out in 'The Coalition: Our Programme for Government', we are committed to allow councils to return to the committee system should they wish to. We intend to provide for this in our forthcoming localism Bill.

Local Government: Sick Leave

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what information his Department holds on the number of days lost to sickness absence in each local authority in each of the last three years.

Bob Neill: The information requested is not held centrally, because councils manage their own work forces and the Department has no direct role in local government work force matters, including councils' policy on managing absence.

Non-domestic Rates: Wolverhampton

Paul Uppal: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what effect on levels of revenue the removal of business rate relief on  (a) industrial property,  (b) retail property,  (c) commercial property and  (d) office accommodation has had in respect of Wolverhampton.

Bob Neill: Information is not available centrally on the effect of the repeal of business rate relief on revenue levels split by the property types requested.

Planning Permission

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government in what circumstances a local planning decision may be called in for determination by the Secretary of State; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Neill: The power to call in planning applications for Secretary of State determination is set out in s.77 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. This gives Ministers wide discretion about how to use the call-in power. Call-in policy is set out in the Caborn statement of 1999 of 16 June 1999,  Official Report, column 138W, which makes it clear that Ministers will be very selective about what is called in.
	Localising decision making and planning is central to the Government's policy. Ministers have made it clear that they will exercise the power to call in only very sparingly where matters of significant national interest and policy are concerned.

Residential Property Tribunal Service: Mobile Homes

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he plans to lay before the House secondary legislation to transfer jurisdiction for park homes to the Residential Property Tribunal.

Grant Shapps: The secondary legislation to transfer the jurisdiction will be laid before the House as soon as possible.

Social Rented Housing: Repairs and Maintenance

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he plans to review the provisions of the Housing Act 2002 and associated guidance on housing allocation to enable positive behaviour by tenants in respect of property maintenance to be taken into account in the allocation of social housing.

Andrew Stunell: Section 167 (2A) of the Housing Act 1996 already gives local authorities the power to take into account certain factors for the purposes of determining relative priorities between applicants in the reasonable preference categories when allocating accommodation. Examples of such factors are given in the legislation and include any behaviour of the applicant (or a member of their household) which affects his or her suitability to be a tenant. This would include good tenant behaviour as well as poor behaviour.
	We have no plans to review the legislation in this respect.

Voluntary Organisations: Newton Abbot

Anne-Marie Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding his Department allocated to voluntary groups in Newton Abbot in each year since 2005.

Bob Neill: The Department's records do not hold information about grant payments to the voluntary sector by geographical area so the information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, if my hon. Friend would like to provide us with a list of voluntary groups in Newton Abbot we could let her know the grant payments made over the period. In addition, as part of the Department's transparency agenda, grant spending over £500 for 2008-09 and 2009-10 can be found online on my Department's website.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Opening of Parliament

Kate Hoey: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the House of Commons Commission what the cost was of the State Opening of Parliament in 2010.

Stuart Bell: The cost to the House of Commons of the State Opening of Parliament in 2010 is estimated to have been £177,000, which represents the Commons contribution to costs shared with the House of Lords.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Private Members' Bills

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Leader of the House if he will bring forward proposals to provide more time for the committee stage of private Members' Bills.

George Young: I am giving consideration to how the time available for private Members' Bills in the current long Session should be increased, including time available in Committee.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Referendums: Scotland

Grahame Morris: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether he made an assessment of the findings of the 2007 Gould report on Scottish elections before selecting 5 May 2011 as the date for the proposed referendum on the voting system for election to the House of Commons.

Mark Harper: The Gould Report identified a number of contributory factors which led to a high number of spoilt ballot papers in 2007. Most of these, such as the introduction of a new electoral system and combined ballot papers, will not be in play on 5 May 2011.
	The Report also recognised that there are benefits to combining elections such as reducing cost, achieving higher turnout and minimising disruption to voters. In evidence to the Scottish Affairs Committee on 21 September 2010, Mr Ron Gould said:
	"I do not believe that the same factors which led to voter confusion and the large number of rejected ballots at the last Scottish Parliamentary and Municipal elections would arise if both the (Scottish) Parliamentary Election and the Referendum were held on the same date. The marking of yes or no on a referendum ballot is much easier to understand and carry out than the requirements of marking an STV ballot."
	The Electoral Commission will be responsible for running the referendum. After the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill was introduced, the Commission released a statement on 22 July 2010 announcing that they believe it should be possible to deliver the different polls if the key risks are properly managed. We are working closely with the Electoral Commission and others to maximise the benefits of combination and ensure the polls on 5 May 2011 are delivered effectively.

EDUCATION

Departmental Contracts

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the monetary value of the contracts between his Department and private sector companies which will be cancelled under his Department's planned spending reductions.

Tim Loughton: We are in the process of reviewing contracts from which savings can be made through renegotiation or termination. The total value of those contracts and the potential savings will not be known until the full review is complete.

Departmental Manpower

David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many  (a) officials and  (b) external advisers are working on the forthcoming Green Paper on special educational needs and disabilities.

Sarah Teather: Work on the Green Paper on special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is being led by three full-time equivalent officials. These officials are working closely with colleagues in the Department for Education's SEND division, as well as officials from across the Department and across Government.
	This Division also employs one professional adviser who supports the Division's overall activity, which includes advising on aspects of the Green Paper.
	To inform the Green Paper, the Department has sought a number of views through informal discussions with experts, voluntary organisations, local authorities, teachers, parents and a call for views consultation.

Sixth Form Education: Capital Investment

Yvonne Fovargue: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether he plans to allocate capital funding to sixth form colleges funded by the Young People's Learning Agency at the same level as that allocated to further education colleges through the Train to Gain programme for the purposes of renovating buildings and facilities.

Tim Loughton: holding answer 16 September 2010
	The Capital Review announced on 5 July 2010, in the context of the budget pressures and emerging policy, is examining the Department's capital programmes including capital funding to sixth form colleges, and will make recommendations on the future shape of all its capital investment for the next spending review period and beyond. It will conclude its work by the end of the calendar year. We intend to determine capital allocations as soon as possible thereafter. The Review team has been tasked with exploring new approaches to school building, and ensuring investment is focused on areas in the greatest need-those educational establishments in most disrepair, to deal with the urgent demand for primary school places from rising birth rates, and ensure that future capital investment represents good value for money and strongly supports the Government's ambitions to raise standards and tackle disadvantage.

Teenage Pregnancy

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to reduce the number of teenagers who become pregnant in England.

Sarah Teather: The reduction in the under-18 conception rate over the last decade-to the point where it is at its lowest level for over 20 years-is positive. But it does not mask the fact that England still has high teenage pregnancy rates compared with many other countries.
	We want local areas to continue to prioritise reducing teenage pregnancy rates, using the international evidence and the lessons from areas where teenage pregnancy rates have fallen fastest, to accelerate progress. There are clear social and economic benefits from investing in actions to prevent teenage pregnancies and improve outcomes for teenage parents and their children. These will contribute to local strategies to: reduce child poverty and health inequalities; and improve public health.
	We are currently reviewing the curriculum, including the place of sex and relationships education (SRE) within it. We will be announcing our plans later this year. But whatever the status of SRE in future, we are clear that it should focus more on relationships. We know that parents are concerned about the early sexualisation of children and the worrying levels of violence reported in teenage relationships and believe that high quality SRE can help children and young people to: cope with the pressures they face to have sex-from both their peers and the media; and to understand what is meant by sexual consent.
	We are also considering how best to ensure that sufficient accessible, young people-friendly contraceptive and sexual health services are available in each local area, so that sexually active young people do not risk having unprotected sex, which can result in an unplanned pregnancy or a sexually transmitted infection. We will be publishing a Public Health White Paper later this year.

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what programmes and projects his Department has funded to raise public awareness of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in the last five years.

Sarah Teather: The Government are committed to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and to raising awareness of the Convention.
	The Department has supported and funded a number of initiatives aimed at raising awareness of the Convention in the last five years such as:
	Collaborating with the Ministry of Justice and the British Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) to develop a curriculum resource for teachers on the UNCRC, to be used with Key Stage 3 pupils. Right Here, Right Now - Teaching Citizenship through Human Rights was published in 2007;
	The Department provided funding to UNICEF for its Rights Respecting Schools initiative which encourages and helps schools to embed the UNCRC into their ethos and curriculum;
	In July 2008, the Department held an event for children and young people and key stakeholders to discuss UK's reporting to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child and a follow up event was held in September 2009 to discuss the UN Committees Concluding Observations;
	As part of the 20th anniversary of the ratification of the UNCRC on 20 November 2009), the Department, with the Office of the Children's Commissioner held a celebration event led by children which was aimed at raising awareness of the UNCRC among children and young people.
	The Government operate a number of web-based portals, enabling children and adults to access information about the Convention. For parents and young people, DirectGov has a popular UNCRC section. For children under 10, DirectGovKids has a section on the UNCRC, developed in conjunction with UNICEF. There is also specific information available on the web for people who work with children, for example, through teachernet.

Voluntary Organisations: Contracts

Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what contracts his Department has awarded to voluntary sector organisations in the last two years; and what the monetary value was of each such contract.

Sarah Teather: holding answer 18 October 2010
	 To gather the information required to identify all the contracts and monetary value of each contract awarded to voluntary sector organisations in the last two years would exceed the disproportionate cost threshold.
	Details of all new central Government contracts will be published in full from January 2011.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he plans to answer question  (a) 14560 on the school lunch grant,  (b) 14561 on the home access scheme and  (c) 14564 on the School Food Trust.

Sarah Teather: The responses to the hon. Member's questions were issued on 13 October 2010.
	PQ 14560: 13 October 2010,  Official Report, column 324W
	PQ 14561: 13 October 2010,  Official Report, column 323W
	PQ 14564: 13 October 2010,  Official Report, column 325W.

Young People: Obesity

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what guidance his Department issues to schools on reducing obesity among persons aged under 16 years; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah Teather: The Department for Education does not issue any specific guidance to schools on reducing obesity. However, this Government recognise that through physical education, competitive school sport and healthy eating, schools can help address the problem of childhood obesity. In the past, the Department has made available guidance and resources to help schools provide a healthy environment by providing nutritious school lunches, improving participation in high quality PE and sport opportunities, helping children learn about health through personal, social, health and economic education and practical activities such as cooking. Guidance from DfE and Department of Health was issued to schools on how they can support the National Child Measurement Programme, which collects height and weight data on primary school pupils in reception and year 6.

CABINET OFFICE

Civil Servants: Resignations

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the proportion of officials who were identified as being  (a) from black and minority ethnic backgrounds and  (b) disabled who left the civil service before retirement age in (i) 2008-09, (ii) 2009-10 and (iii) 2010-11 on the latest date for which figures are available.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning the proportion of officials who were identified as being (a) from black and minority ethnic backgrounds and (b) disabled who left the Civil Service before retirement age in (i) 2008-09, (ii) 2009-10 and (iii) 2010-11 on the latest date for which figures are available. (18498)
	Civil Service Statistics are published annually by the Office for National Statistics on the National Statistics website. Statistics for 2010 will be published on 19 November 2010. The requested estimates for the years 2008 and 2009 are attached at Annex A. Since April 2010, there has been no default retirement age across the Civil Service, but we have used an age of 65 years for the purpose of making these estimates.
	 Annex A
	
		
			  Civil service employment: civil service leavers before retirement age( 1,2) 
			  All employees 
			   2008( 3)  2009( 3) 
			   Headcount  %  Headcount  % 
			 Black and/or minority ethnic 2,790 5.6 2,160 5.7 
			 Disabled 1,970 3.9 1,710 4.5 
			  
			 All civil service leavers before retirement age 50,140 100 38,020 100 
			 (1) Numbers are rounded to the nearest ten.(  2) For the purpose of this analysis retirement age has been taken to be 65 years.(  3) Survey reference date 31 March.   Source:  Annual Civil Service Employment Survey.

Employment: Public Sector

Ian Swales: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the number of people employed in the public sector in  (a) the UK,  (b) the North East and  (c) Redcar constituency in each of the last 13 years.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated October 2010:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning the number of people employed in the public sector in (a) the United Kingdom (b) the North East and (c) Redcar constituency, in each of the last thirteen years. (19504)
	Estimates of employment for the UK public sector are taken from the ONS release on Public Sector Employment at
	www.statistics.gov.uk
	The ONS's preferred estimates of regional public sector employment are based on returns from public sector organisations. These estimates supersede previous estimates of regional employment derived from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). Data up to 2007 are based on the LFS and are adjusted to compensate for seasonal variations in employment. Data from 2008 onwards are based on actual returns from public sector organisations and have not been seasonally adjusted.
	The number of people employed in the public sector in the North East is not available before 1999.
	The number of people employed in the public sector in Redcar constituency is not available.
	The available data are attached at Annex A.
	
		
			  Annex A: Public Sector Employment( 1,2,3) 
			  Headcount (thousand) 
			   UK( 4)  North East( 5,6) 
			 1998 5,168 - 
			 1999 5,221 239 
			 2000 5,302 235 
			 2001 5,394 234 
			 2002 5,501 251 
			 2003 5,665 254 
			 2004 5,785 253 
			 2005 5,883 268 
			 2006 5,849 263 
			 2007 5,797 263 
			 2008 5,777 284 
			 2009 6,069 290 
			 2010 6,051 285 
			 (1) Annual figures relate to June Q2 except the North East for 1999 which relates to December Q4. (2) Estimates are based on where people are employed. (3) Northern Rock classified to the public sector from 9 October 2007, Bradford and Bingley classified to public sector from 26 September 2008, Royal Bank of Scotland Group and Lloyds Banking Group classified to the public sector from 13 October 2008. (4) Figures for the UK are seasonally adjusted. (5) 1998-2007 seasonally adjusted and based on returns from the LFS. (6) 2008-2010 not seasonally adjusted and based on returns from public sector organisations.

Immigration: Transcaucasus

Robert Halfon: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what recent estimate he has made of the number of people originating from  (a) Armenia,  (b) Azerbaijan and  (c) Georgia who are resident in the UK.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated October 2010:
	.
	The latest estimates available, based on the Annual Population Survey, are for the 12 month period of January to December 2009. These are shown in the table below.
	
		
			  Estimated population resident in the United Kingdom, by selected nationalities and country of birth 
			  Thousand 
			   Country of birth  Nationality 
			   Estimate  CI+/-  Estimate  CI+/- 
			 Armenia n/a n/a 1 1 
			 Azerbaijan 2 2 2 2 
			 Georgia 3 2 2 2 
			 n/a = "not available" CI = Confidence Interval  Source: Annual Population Survey (APS)/Labour Force Survey (LFS), ONS

Lone Parents: Brighton

Simon Kirby: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many lone parents were resident in Brighton, Kemptown constituency in each of the last 10 years.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated October 2010:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your request to ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many lone parents were resident in Brighton, Kemptown constituency in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available (19011).
	Estimates, based on the Annual Population Survey, for lone parent families which include at least one child aged under 16, are given in the table below. Data are available for 2004 to 2008.
	This is based on the 2008 parliamentary constituency boundary, which contained 10 electoral wards, one more than the current constituency.
	
		
			  Number of lone parent families with at least one child under 16 in Brighton, Kemptown constituency 
			   Estimate (thousand) 
			 2004 3 
			 2005 3 
			 2006 2 
			 2007 2 
			 2008 2 
			  Source: APS

Ovarian Cancer

Gavin Barwell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the five-year survival rate from ovarian cancer was in the latest period for which figures are available.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated October 2010:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what the five-year survival rate from ovarian cancer was in the latest period for which figures are available (18828).
	ONS publishes cancer survival rates calculated from the date of diagnosis.
	The latest figures available show that five-year relative survival for ovarian cancer, in England, was 41 per cent for women, aged 15-99 years, diagnosed in 2003 - 2007 and followed up to 2008.(1, 2)
	Survival figures for England published by ONS, for 21 common cancers, are available on the National Statistics website at:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=14007
	(1) Relative survival is the probability of survival (shown here as a percentage) after correction for other causes of death.
	(2) Ovarian cancer is defined by the International Classification of Diseases, tenth revision (ICD-10) codes C56, C57.0, C57.7.

Strategic Defence and Security Review: Climate Change

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans he has to include in the remit of the Strategic Defence and Security Review consideration of the effects of climate change and resource competition.

Oliver Letwin: The National Security Strategy (NSS), which was published on 18 October, assessed that competition for resources-such as energy, water or food-among or within other countries can result in instability which may impact on the UK's national security, for example in the form of conflict or increased migratory pressures. It also assessed that the physical effects of climate change are likely to become increasingly significant, exacerbating existing tensions around the world. The Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR), which was published the following day, makes recommendations for improving the Government's ability to consider and tackle these issues, and establishes clear governance structures and accountability.

Teenage Pregnancies: Peterborough

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to the answer of 14 September 2010,  Official Report, columns 998-99W, on teenage pregnancies, how many pregnancies were recorded among women aged 15 to 17 years living in Peterborough City council area in 2009; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated October 2010:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many pregnancies were recorded among women aged 15 to 17 years living in Peterborough City Council area in 2009 (19103).
	Figures on conceptions are estimates based on the number of live births, stillbirths or legal abortions. They do not include miscarriages and illegal abortions. Because of the confidentiality of data on abortions and stillbirths, figures on conceptions at specific ages are not published for small areas, such as Peterborough City Council, because of the risk of disclosing such information.
	There were 168 conceptions to women under 18 years of age in Peterborough Unitary Authority in 2008 (the most recent year for which figures are available). The data for 2008 are provisional.

Third Sector: Surveys

Alan Beith: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office for what reasons his Department has decided to undertake a second wave national survey of charities and social enterprises.

Nick Hurd: The National Survey of Charities and Social Enterprises is the largest and most far reaching survey of its kind, and is vital in providing detailed information on the state of the sector at a local level. The first wave of the survey in 2008 proved invaluable to the sector and local statutory bodies in identifying and addressing key local issues, and has informed both national and local policy.
	The Government have set out a clear role for the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector in building a stronger civil society and the second wave of the survey will be key to providing information needed to effectively support the sector in this role. The survey results, which will be fully published at:
	www.nscsesurvey.com
	will provide citizens, communities, the sector and local and central Government with real insight into the current environment for the sector, in addition to an unprecedented level of evidence on the sector over time. This data will be crucial in supporting evidence-based decision-making in response to public spending reductions, holding government account on its support for the sector, and providing the tools to drive real change in local areas.

UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Kate Hoey: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps his Department is taking to ensure compliance with Article 29 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in respect of participation in political life in regard to its provisions for  (a) ensuring that voting procedures, facilities and materials are appropriate, accessible, easy to understand and use,  (b) protecting the right of persons with disabilities to vote by secret ballot in elections and public referendums without intimidation and to stand for elections, to effectively hold office and perform all public functions at all levels of government, facilitating the use of assistive and new technologies where appropriate and  (c) guaranteeing the free expression of the will of persons with disabilities as electors and to this end, where necessary, at their request, allowing assistance in voting by a person of their own choice.

Mark Harper: The Government are keen to ensure that disabled people are supported to participate in political and public life and that the electoral process is accessible to all electors. This reflects our commitment to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and in particular the obligations set out in Article 29.
	This is why the Cabinet Office has made an early commitment as part of our coalition document to introduce extra support for disabled people who want to become MPs, councillors or other elected officials. We are currently looking at the detail of how best to support disabled people who want to enter political life. In working up detailed policy proposals, we will draw on the evidence set out by the cross-party Speaker's Conference and involve the expertise of disabled people and disabled people's organisations at an early stage.
	The Electoral Administration Act 2006 ("EA Act 2006") and associated legislation contain measures aimed to make the voting process more accessible for disabled electors. Returning officers are required to display an enlarged version of the ballot paper in polling stations and to provide upon request at polling stations a large hand-held sample copy of the ballot paper for the assistance of visually impaired voters. Returning officers must also ensure that each polling station is supplied with a tactile voting device which is designed to enable blind and partially sighted voters to cast their vote independently without revealing their voting intentions to a third party.
	Electoral officers are also required to make information and documents about the electoral process available to electors in other languages and formats, including Braille and audio format.
	There are also a number of provisions in legislation which are specifically intended to support disabled electors to vote at elections. These include provision that, on application to the presiding officer, disabled voters in polling stations may cast their vote with the assistance of a companion.
	Local authorities have a statutory responsibility for designating polling places and must carry out a full assessment of polling places at least every four years to ensure that, so far as it is practicable, all venues are accessible to electors who are disabled. This should mean that polling places are regularly checked for accessibility, and consideration given to making reasonable improvements where practicable.
	The Government are also aware that for some groups in society, including electors who are disabled, e-voting can assist them to overcome barriers to participation. This may be an area that needs closer consideration as to how information technology can assist in the absence of a full e-voting solution being put in place alongside the existing paper-based model, which is a model that many trust and expect. Where there are issues with the existing paper-based system, the Government will look at the evidence and identify what needs to be taken forward to address those issues.

UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps his Department has taken to ensure that its activities are compliant with the provisions of Article 29 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on participation in political and public life.

Mark Harper: The Government are keen to ensure that disabled people are supported to participate in political and public life and that the electoral process is accessible to all electors. This reflects our commitment to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and in particular the obligations set out in Article 29.
	This is why the Cabinet Office has made an early commitment as part of our coalition document to introduce extra support for disabled people who want to become MPs, councillors or other elected officials. We are currently looking at the detail of how best to support disabled people who want to enter political life. In working up detailed policy proposals, we will draw on the evidence set out by the cross-party Speaker's Conference and involve the expertise of disabled people and disabled people's organisations at an early stage.
	There are a number of provisions in legislation which are specifically intended to support disabled electors to vote at elections. These include provision that, on application to the presiding officer, disabled voters in polling stations may cast their vote with the assistance of a companion.
	The Electoral Administration Act 2006 ("EA Act 2006") and associated legislation also contain measures aimed to make the voting process more accessible for disabled electors. Returning Officers are required to display an enlarged version of the ballot paper in polling stations and to provide upon request at polling stations a large hand-held sample copy of the ballot paper for the assistance of visually impaired voters. Returning Officers must also ensure that each polling station is supplied with a tactile voting device which is designed to enable blind and partially sighted voters to cast their vote independently without revealing their voting intentions to a third party.
	Electoral officers are also required to make information and documents about the electoral process available to electors in other languages and formats, including Braille and audio format.
	Local authorities have a statutory responsibility for designating polling places and under the EA Act 2006 have an obligation to carry out a full assessment of polling places at least every four years to ensure that, so far as it is practicable, all venues are accessible to electors who are disabled. This should mean that polling places are regularly checked for accessibility, and consideration given to making reasonable improvements where practicable.
	The EA Act 2006 allows certain prescribed persons, e.g. a local councillor, or 30 or more local electors, to make representations to the Electoral Commission to review the local authority's decision.
	Disabled electors may choose to vote by post as an alternative to voting in a polling station. The law allows an Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) to dispense with the requirement for postal vote applicants to provide a signature if the ERO is satisfied that the applicant is unable to do so due to the elector being disabled.

Unemployment

Gregg McClymont: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what definition of a workless household his Department uses.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck:
	.
	Official statistics on workless households are produced by the Office for National Statistics. The definition of a workless household is a household that includes at least one person aged 16 to 64 and where no individuals aged 16 and over are in employment.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Next Generation Broadband

Stephen Metcalfe: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what progress he has made on his plans to roll out next generation broadband.

Jeremy Hunt: The Government are committed to delivering the best superfast broadband network in Europe by 2015, including into rural areas. Last week, the Chancellor announced four superfast broadband pilot projects, in Cumbria, Herefordshire, North Yorkshire and the Highlands and Islands as a first step to delivering this. These pilots will be the first projects supported using the £530 million funding for broadband that my right hon. Friend the Chancellor announced as part of the spending review.

Arts Council England

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what plans he has for the future of Arts Council England; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Vaizey: The Arts Council plays a vital role in bringing expertise and impartiality to arts funding and providing support to artists and arts organisations. It will continue to do so in the future.

Arts and Creative Industries

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the effect on the economy of changes in his Department's levels of funding for the arts and creative industries.

Edward Vaizey: As part of their settlement we have asked the Arts Council to limit cuts in the overall budget for arts organisations to just 15% in real terms. I am confident that this relative level of protection, combined with an increase in lottery funding over the coming years will allow the arts and creative industries to continue to play a vital role in our economy.

Broadband

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps he has taken to ensure the rapid roll-out of superfast broadband across the country.

Edward Vaizey: I have been asked to reply 
	in my capacity as a Minister in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	The Government are committed to delivering the best superfast broadband network in Europe by 2015, including into rural areas. Last week, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced four superfast broadband pilot projects, in Cumbria, Herefordshire, North Yorkshire and the Highlands and Islands as a first step to delivering this. These pilots will be the first projects supported using the £530 million funding for broadband that the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced as part of the spending review.

Departmental Contracts

Andrew Bingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of quality management statements in assisting with contract decisions for the 2012 London Olympic games.

Hugh Robertson: The use of quality management statements in the selection of suppliers, leading to contract award decisions, is recognised good procurement practice.
	The vast majority of contracts by value for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games will be awarded by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) with a significant number awarded by the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG).
	While LOCOG is a private company not bound by public procurement regulation, the ODA is a DCMS public body. As such, DCMS officials have reviewed ODA procurement policy and are satisfied that it encompasses good procurement practice.
	Specifically, the ODA uses a "balanced scorecard" of criteria at both the prequalification stage to select a shortlist of suppliers to invite to tender and at the tender evaluation stage in selecting the successful supplier. The balanced scorecard considers five broad criteria areas including quality management and reviewing the quality management statements of prospective suppliers.
	DCMS officials have also reviewed LOCOG procurement policy and are satisfied that LOCOG also adopts good practice consideration of quality management statements in its contract award process.
	It is, however, recognised that a good quality management statement is no guarantee that a supplier will in fact perform well in practice. Therefore appropriate consideration of other factors, such as health, safety, environmental capabilities, financial viability, construction quality and others, are taken into account as part of the "balanced scorecard" to select suppliers.

Departmental Disciplinary Proceedings

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many officials in his Department have been  (a) subject to disciplinary action,  (b) removed from post,  (c) transferred to another position and  (d) dismissed for matters relating to their (i) disciplinary record and (ii) performance in each year since 1997.

John Penrose: The Department's HR department holds records from 2000. We are not able to break down the information into disciplinary and performance issues. The information we are able to provide is as follows:
	
		
			   N umber  of disciplinaries  Removed from post  Transferred to another position  Dismissed 
			 2000-01 1 0 0 0 
			 2001-02 1 0 0 0 
			 2002-03 0 0 0 0 
			 2003-04 4 0 0 1 
			 2004-05 2 0 0 2 
			 2005-06 0 0 0 0 
			 2006-07 2 0 0 2 
			 2007-08 0 0 0 0 
			 2008-09 2 0 0 0 
			 2009-10 0 0 0 0 
			 2010-11 4 0 0 0

Departmental Pay

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much was paid to officials in his Department and its non-departmental public bodies in bonuses and other payments in addition to salary in each year since 1997; how many officials received such payments; and what the monetary value was of the largest 20 payments made in each such year.

John Penrose: The Department makes bonus payments to its staff for two purposes: (a) special bonuses to reward outstanding contributions in particularly demanding tasks or situations; and (b) performance related bonuses to reward highly successful performance over a whole year. Awards were made in line with Cabinet Office principles and guidelines on performance-related pay.
	Such information that is available is shown in the tables.
	
		
			  Financial year  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 
			 Number of staff awarded special bonuses and performance related bonuses 206 168 235 327 371 420 391 
			 Total all bonuses (£) 206,403 215,285 293,241 392,114 520,713 582,167 608,587 
		
	
	
		
			  £ 
			  Largest 20 bonuses of any type  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 
			 1 8,500 7,000 12,000 14,000 13,000 35,000 49,500 
			 2 6,000 7,000 6,000 10,000 11,000 30,000 40,000 
			 3 6,000 7,000 6,000 10,000 10,000 15,000 12,500 
			 4 5,000 6,000 5,000 10,000 10,000 13,500 12,500 
			 5 4,500 5,000 5,000 8,250 10,000 13,500 12,500 
			 6 4,500 5,000 5,000 8,250 9,500 12,000 12,000 
			 7 4,500 5,000 5,000 8,000 8,500 11,000 11,000 
			 8 4,500 4,000 4,000 8,000 8,500 11,000 10,000 
			 9 4,000 3,500 4,000 8,000 8,500 11,000 10,000 
			 10 4,000 3,500 4,000 6,500 8,500 11,000 10,000 
			 11 4,000 3,400 4,000 6,065 8,500 11,000 10,000 
			 12 3,500 3,000 4,000 6,000 8,500 9,000 10,000 
			 13 2,716 3,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 9,000 10,000 
			 14 2,500 2,500 4,000 5,000 7,500 7,000 10,000 
			 15 2,500 2,500 4,000 5,000 5,800 7,000 9,500 
			 16 2,500 2,500 4,000 4,500 5,800 7,000 8,000 
			 17 2,500 2,500 3,500 4,500 5,800 7,000 8,000 
			 18 1,750 2,500 3,500 4,500 5,800 7,000 8,000 
			 19 1,700 2,500 3,500 4,000 5,800 7,000 8,000 
			 20 1,700 2,500 3,000 3,750 5,800 7,000 8,000 
		
	
	The Department does not hold information prior to 2003.
	Data on payments by non-departmental public bodies are not held centrally and I will ask the chief executive of each body to write to the hon. Member.

Departmental Pay

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what allowances and payments in addition to salary were available to officials in his Department and its non-departmental public bodies in each year since 1997; and what the monetary value was of payments and allowances of each type in each such year.

John Penrose: The types of allowances that are paid to staff in the Department and their monetary values are shown in the table. Allowances are paid on a monthly basis in addition to basic salaries.
	Data on allowances or payments by non-departmental public bodies are not held centrally and I will ask the Chief Executive of each body to write to the hon. Member.
	
		
			   Allowance  t ype  Total a mount (£) 
			 2003-04 Recruitment and retention allowance 106,464 
			 2004-05 Recruitment and retention allowance 125,010 
			  Specialist allowance 9,455 
			 2005-06 Recruitment and retention allowance 89,820 
			  Specialist allowance 61,464 
			 2006-07 Recruitment and retention allowance 84,666 
			  Specialist allowance 101,886 
			 2007-08 Recruitment and retention allowance 86,211 
			  Specialist allowance 108,983 
			 2008-09 Recruitment and retention allowance 106,736 
			  Specialist allowance 101,478 
			 2009-10 Recruitment and retention allowance 97,376 
			  Specialist allowance 123,090 
			  Private office allowance 25,669 
		
	
	The Department does not hold information prior to 2003.

Departmental Sick Leave

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport for how many days on average his Department's staff in each pay grade were absent from work as a result of ill-health in 2009-10.

John Penrose: The table shows the average number of working days lost due to ill-health in my Department in 2009-10.
	
		
			  Civil service pay grade  Average working days lost by staff year 
			 AA/AO 23.1 
			 EO 5.6 
			 HEO/SEO 4.0 
			 G7 1.9 
			 G6 3.3 
			 SCS 1.4 
			 Total 4.7

Departmental Sick Leave

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many officials in his Department have had  (a) fewer than five days,  (b) five to 10 days,  (c) 10 to 15 days,  (d) 15 to 20 days,  (e) 20 to 25 days,  (f) 25 to 50 days,  (g) 50 to 75 days,  (h) 75 to 100 days,  (i) 100 to 150 days,  (j) 150 to 200 days,  (k) more than 200 days,  (l) more than three months,  (m) more than six months and  (n) one year on paid sick leave (i) consecutively and (ii) in total in each year since 1997.

John Penrose: The table shows the total number of officials who were on leave due to sickness absence in the Department in each year since 2003.
	 (i) Officials who were on leave due to sickness absence consecutively in each of the category could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Length of absence  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 
			 < 5 days 187 213 225 270 279 324 378 
			 5-10 days 29 23 16 36 33 38 31 
			 10-15 days 0 10 4 6 4 5 10 
			 15-20 days 4 2 3 4 0 5 3 
			 20-25 days 1 0 2 2 1 1 4 
			 25-50 days 1 7 8 6 3 0 7 
			 50-75 days 0 2 3 1 1 1 0 
			 75-100 days 1 0 1 0 0 2 2 
			 100-150 days 1 0 0 0 1 2 0 
			 150-200 days 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 
			 >3 months 0 0 0 1 0 2 4 
			 >6 months 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 
			 >1 year 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
		
	
	The Department does not hold information prior to 2003.

Digital Economy Act 2010

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the appropriateness of the implementation by Ofcom of its regulatory duties under the Digital Economy Act 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Vaizey: I have been asked to reply 
	in my capacity as a Minister in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	This Department is in regular contact with Ofcom, particularly in respect to their work on developing the code of practice known as 'The Online Copyright Infringement Initial Obligations Code'. As an independent regulator, Ofcom's compliance with its statutory duties is a matter for Ofcom itself, and Ofcom is directly accountable to Parliament.

Digital Economy Act 2010

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what responsibilities he has for oversight of the discharge by Ofcom of its responsibilities under the Digital Economy Act 2010 in respect of sectors which are the policy responsibility of the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Vaizey: Ofcom operates independently of Government and is responsible for its own compliance with its statutory duties. Ofcom is, however, directly accountable to Parliament.

Football

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent representations he has received on his proposals for reform of football governance rules in respect of ownership of Premier League football clubs.

Hugh Robertson: The Department has received numerous representations from Members of Parliament and members of the public about the ownership of some of our top Premier League clubs. I am aware of the strength of feeling.
	My current priority is to win the world cup bid for 2018; however, I am continuing discussions with the football authorities on the question of governance reform and club ownership.
	To their credit, the Premier League has already taken steps to introduce a number of new rules for this season, specifically in the areas of club ownership. This includes a new means and abilities test, requiring proof of funds of prospective new owners as well as a strengthening of their Owners and Directors Test (formerly known as the fit and proper persons test).
	However, we are examining what further action might be necessary.

Olympic Games 2010: Skipton

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps his Department is taking to ensure a legacy for Skipton and Ripon constituency from the London 2012 Olympics.

Hugh Robertson: The Government and the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) established the Nations and Regions Group to ensure UK-wide engagement and to maximise the legacy from London 2012. This group works directly with representatives from each of the nations and English regions to realise the sporting, economic, and cultural benefits of the 2012 games.
	Across the UK over 850 cultural and sporting programmes have been awarded Inspire Marks, 63 being in the Yorkshire and Humberside region. Over 14,000 schools and colleges have registered for LOCOG's education programme Get Set, 1,262 are registered in the region. In Ripon and Skipton 17 schools and colleges have registered for Get Set.
	In addition 6,290 companies in the region have registered on Competefor (the website where London 2012 contract opportunities are advertised), and 32 contracts have been awarded to Competefor suppliers. Not all the information on 'supply chain' level contracts is in the public domain. There may be other companies that have secured 'supply chain' contracts in the region.
	Locations across the UK, particularly those that are hosting international teams in pre-games training camps (PGTCs), have additional opportunities to realise the economic benefits of the games. Five agreements have been signed with teams to hold PGTCs in the region.

Public Libraries

David Nuttall: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what plans his Department has to modernise public libraries.

Edward Vaizey: Our priority is to identify opportunities for the public library service to operate more effectively and efficiently. The Future Libraries Programme, which I launched in July, is finding new ways to deliver library services without cutting the front line services that communities want and need. It provides the chance to try new and innovative methods like shared resources, different governance models and co-locating with other services. Further details of the Future Libraries Programme can be accessed on the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council's website at
	http://www.mla.gov.uk/what/programmes/the_future _libraries_programme

Sports: Public Participation

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether he has had discussions with the  (a) London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games and  (b) Mayor of London on changes to the route of the marathon from that specified in the original bid document; and if he will make a statement.

Hugh Robertson: Responsibility for the route of the Olympic and Paralympic marathon events in 2012 rests with the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG). LOCOG wrote and sought endorsement from the Olympic Board members, which includes the chair of the British Olympic Association, the Mayor of London and the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport. The route has been endorsed by these Olympic Board members. The route has been chosen for operational reasons. It helps keep London moving on busy competition days, minimises disruption to other games events, and best meets athlete and spectator requirements.

Television

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what timetable he has set for the implementation of his proposals for local television services; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what plans he has for the implementation of his proposals for local television services in  (a) urban and  (b) rural areas.

Edward Vaizey: Nicholas Shott is currently conducting an independent review of local TV in the UK and will present the Secretary of State with his final conclusions by early December. This will form the basis of a local media action plan which we will consult on in the next few months. Subject to Nicholas Shott's findings, we hope to see the first local TV stations licensed from 2012.
	Nicholas Shott's interim findings suggest that local television on digital terrestrial is only likely to be viable in certain areas of the UK, which Government are considering.
	For those areas where local TV is not deemed to be viable on digital terrestrial, internet protocol television such as YouView may offer a future solution to make local television services technically and economically viable.

Television: Broadcasting

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent discussions he has had on the establishment of local television stations; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Vaizey: The Secretary of State has met with existing national broadcasters and other interested parties to discuss local TV. The Government appointed investment banker Nicholas Shott to look at the conditions necessary for commercially viable local TV in the UK and he has met with various interested parties as part of his work. He is due to present his final conclusions by early December.

HEALTH

Advisory Committee on Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infections

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his most recent assessment is of the performance of the Advisory Committee on Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infections.

Anne Milton: The chair of the Advisory Committee on Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infections (ARHAI) carries out periodic appraisals for each of the ARHAI members. Appointments are reviewed regularly.
	However as part of the implementation of the changes to the Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies (ANDPBs), we will be implementing a periodic review process, of all our significant advisory committees and ANDPBs which will incorporate an assessment of performance and effectiveness.
	A formal review has not been conducted but the Department's assessment at present, is that ARHAI makes a valuable contribution to developing the evidence base for Government policy.

Advisory Committee on Borderline Substances

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his most recent assessment is of the performance of the Advisory Committee on Borderline Substances.

Simon Burns: The Advisory Committee on Borderline Substances (ACBS) has recently undergone a review of its processes and the Department is content that the ACBS is effective.

Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his most recent assessment is of the performance of the Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens.

Anne Milton: The Department's assessment of the performance of the Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens (ACDP) is that it provides essential and high quality expert scientific advice on all aspects of dangerous pathogens and that there is continuing need for its advice. ACDP also provides advice to the Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs and to the Health and Safety Executive. A review of ACDP formed part of the review of the Department's use of science undertaken by the Government Office for Science in 2008. A formal review of the performance of the chairman of ACDP has just been concluded prior to confirmation of his reappointment for a further term.
	Departmental sponsors undertake regular performance reviews of the members of ACDP and these form the basis of recommendations for their continued appointment to the committee. The Department is currently reviewing the remit and terms of reference of the ACDP, prior to its reconfiguration as a departmental committee of experts.

Advisory Group on Hepatitis

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his most recent assessment is of the performance of the Advisory Group on Hepatitis.

Anne Milton: A review of all members and the Chair of the Advisory Group on Hepatitis (AGH) by the Department's sponsor and Secretariat was conducted in summer 2010. All members and the Chair were assessed on categories such as attendance and scientific contribution at meetings and their support and commitment to the AGH more generally. All members were assessed as either excellent or good in these aspects. The outcome of the review was fed back to members and the Chair individually and a record is held by the Secretariat.
	In addition, the AGH prepares an annual report for the Chief Medical Officer which is published and available on the AGH website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/ab/AGH/index.htm?ssSourceSiteId=en
	As part of the implementation of the changes to the Department's advisory non-departmental public body (ANDPB) the Department will be implementing a periodic review process, of all significant advisory committees and ANDPBs which will incorporate an assessment of performance and effectiveness.

Alcohol Education and Research Council

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his most recent assessment is of the performance of the Alcohol Education and Research Council.

Anne Milton: The Alcohol Education and Research Council (AERC) is an independent body. It has charitable status and administers a fund to support research into the prevention of alcohol-related harm. The Department does not provide any funding for this non-departmental public body.
	As set out in the Department's Report of the Arm's Length Bodies Review, the AERC will be abolished as a NDPB and remain as a charity. The decision means it will be free to continue and develop its research programme to inform some of the key questions on alcohol policy.

Appointments Commission

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his most recent assessment is of the performance of the Appointments Commission.

Simon Burns: The Appointments Commission continues to effectively carry out its role in making national health service public appointments.

Cancer: Charities

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department plans to work with cancer charities to promote his Department's Signs and Symptoms campaign.

Paul Burstow: We are working with a number of cancer charities on the two centrally run regional campaigns and 59 local campaigns that we are supporting to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of cancer.
	We are also keeping a broader range of cancer charities in touch with the plans, giving them opportunities to contribute as they wish.

Care Quality Commission

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of setting up the Care Quality Commission; and what estimate he has made of the proportion of the care home information gathered through its registration process which had already been collected by former social care bodies.

Paul Burstow: In 2006, the Department announced that the costs of setting up the Care Quality Commission (CQC) would be in the region of £140 million. The Department has since estimated that the costs of setting up the CQC, and winding-up predecessor organisations, were approximately £140 million between 2006-07 and 2009-10.
	CQC is independent, and is responsible for developing and implementing its own methodology for assessing providers. It inherited information from its predecessor body, the Commission for Social Care Inspection, and supplemented this with information to assess provider compliance with regulations and make decisions for registration under the Health and Social Care Act 2008. It is not possible to make an estimate of the proportion of registration information gathered by previous bodies.

Care Quality Commission

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many care home registrations the Care Quality Commission has  (a) lost and  (b) failed to process within the target timescale for processing since its inception; and how many complaints regarding the Commission (i) the Commission and (ii) his Department has received in that period from care home providers.

Paul Burstow: The following information has been provided by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
	 (a) CQC has advised that it is aware of two instances of providers reporting that their application had been lost.
	 (b) In the period 2009-10, CQC registered 7,241 providers under the Care Standards Act (CSA) 2000. Of those registrations, 75.2% were processed within the target timescale for completing registration.
	In the period April to September 2010, CQC registered 4,082 providers under the CSA. Of those registrations, 89.3% were processed within the target timescale for completing registration.
	At 1 October 2010, CQC had registered 9,400 providers of adult social care under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the 2008 Act). All providers that applied within the timeframe were registered.
	(i) From 1 April 2010 to 13 October 2010, CQC received 73 complaints in relation to CSA activity, 2008 Act registration, or transition to the 2008 Act registration system. None of these complaints was pursued to the second stage of the corporate complaints procedure; nor were any complaints taken to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.
	(ii) The Department has not received any formal complaints from care home providers, although it has received 223 items of correspondence relating to issues in care homes or residential care that have been dealt with as official correspondence.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether blood donated by people with myalgic encephalomyelitis will be removed from the blood bank in circumstances in which such donors are found to have the xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus.

Anne Milton: There are no plans to remove from storage blood donated by any donors found to have the xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV).
	An expert subgroup of National Expert Panel for New and Emerging Infections (NEPNEI) met in May 2010, to consider all available evidence about XMRV and conduct a risk assessment. The subgroup concluded that XMRV can infect humans but there is currently no evidence that it causes human disease and that on the evidence before the group, no public health action is required at this time. Since the subgroup meeting in May there has been no new scientific evidence that would change the conclusions of the subgroup. In July 2010, the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs, similarly did not recommend further measures at present. Both groups will continue to monitor the situation.

Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his most recent assessment is of the performance of the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence.

Anne Milton: The Department has nominated a senior official as sponsor of the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence with overall responsibility for oversight of its performance. Assessment is an ongoing process. The Department monitors the arm's length body performance regularly through quarterly accountability meetings, which include an annual review of performance.
	In 2009-10, the Department considered the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence's performance to have been good and that their work had made a positive contribution to promoting the health, safety and well-being of patients and other members of the public.
	The Department's Arm's Length Body Review, published on 26 July 2010, concluded that the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence does currently fulfil an ongoing need to quality assure professional regulation.

Dental Services

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of transferring the commissioning of NHS primary dental care to the NHS Commissioning Board, as referred to in his Department's White Paper "Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS".

Simon Burns: The White Paper "Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS" set out proposals for fundamental changes to the ways that the national health service is structured and run. The precise costs of transferring the commissioning of NHS primary dental care to the NHS Commissioning Board will not be known until the new organisations that will underpin the new system have been designed in more detail.
	Four consultations relating to how the new organisations should be designed-specifically covering "transparency on outcomes, liberating the NHS: local democratic legitimacy in health" and "commissioning for patients and regulating healthcare providers"-have recently closed and once the results of these have been analysed we will publish the costs of the new system in an impact assessment.
	A further two consultations on other aspects of reform set out in the White Paper-"specifically an information revolution" and "greater choice and control" have recently been launched and will close in January.

Dental Services

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which body will be responsible for commissioning salaried primary care dental services under the proposals in his Department's White Paper "Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS".

Simon Burns: Under the proposals set out in the White Paper "Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS", the NHS Commissioning Board would, subject to the outcome of consultation, be responsible for commissioning primary care dental services. Further details will be available at the introduction of the Health Bill into Parliament, which will follow later this year.

Dental Services

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what role consultants in dental public health will have in commissioning NHS dentistry under the proposals in his Department's White Paper "Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS";
	(2)  what role dental practice advisers will have in the structure of the NHS under the proposals in his Department's White Paper "Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS".

Simon Burns: The White Paper "Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS" refers to creation of a NHS Commissioning Board and a new Public Health Service, to integrate and streamline existing health improvement. The NHS Commissioning Board will take on responsibility for commissioning national health service primary dental services, while the primary care trusts' responsibilities for local health improvement will transfer to local authorities. Local authorities will employ the Director of Public Health jointly appointed with the Public Health Service. To discharge their functions and responsibilities, both the Public Health Service in local authorities and dental service commissioners will need appropriate advice and input from dental public health consultants, dental practice advisers and their teams, working with local clinicians.

Departmental Carbon Emissions

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has made an estimate of the change in the level of carbon dioxide emissions from his Department since May 2010; and what steps he plans to take to meet his Department's target of reducing such emissions by 10 per cent. by May 2011.

Simon Burns: The latest data on performance of each Department towards the 10% reduction target are publicly available on the:
	www.data.gov.uk
	website:
	http://data.gov.uk/departmental-performance-co2-emissions-reduction-date
	Performance data are reported monthly, within four weeks of the month end. The next data release (to the end of September 2010) will be available by the end of October 2010, and similarly published to:
	www.data.gov.uk
	The Department's current estimate of reduction in the level of carbon emissions since May 2010 is just above the 10% required.
	Projects under way that will help us meet our target include:
	replacing our desktop personal computers with network interface boxes and centralising storage;
	decommissioning a number of information technology servers;
	reduction of air-conditioning requirement in server rooms;
	impact of new lighting system on the 6(th) floor of Skipton House;
	impact of new ventilation and air-conditioning system on the 2(nd) floor of Richmond House;
	introduction of Voltage Optimisation;
	replacement of lamps;
	installing sub meters in one building;
	replace Air Handling Unit Fan assembly; and
	the move of the Medicines Healthcare products Regulatory Agency to a more efficient building.
	The target of reducing emissions by 10% applies to the three Headquarter buildings in which the Department has direct responsibility for energy use, and those occupied by NHS Connecting for Health and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

Departmental Legislation

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many statutory duties were placed on local authorities by legislation introduced by his Department in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: The Government are committed to reducing top down burdens on local authorities from legislation, guidance and other forms of prescription. The full response to this question could be made only at disproportionate cost.

Doctors: Africa

Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many doctors currently working in the NHS gained their primary medical qualification in  (a) Malawi and  (b) Uganda.

Simon Burns: The following table sets out the number of doctors working in England, who gained their primary medical qualification in Malawi and Uganda as at 30 September 2009.
	
		
			  All doctors( 1)  by country of primary qualification 
			   Number of all doctors( 1) 
			 Malawi 24 
			 Uganda 73 
			 (1) Excludes hospital and community health services medical hospital practitioners and medical clinical assistants, most of whom are general practitioners working part time in hospitals.  Notes: Information about country of qualification is derived from the General Medical Council. For staff in dental specialties, with a General Dental Council registration, the country of qualification is therefore unknown.  Data Quality: The NHS Information Centre for health and social care seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data but responsibility for data accuracy lies with the organisations providing the data. Methods are continually being updated to improve data quality. Where changes impact on figures already published, this is assessed but unless it is significant at national level, figures are not changed. Impact at detailed or local level is footnoted in relevant analyses.  Source: The NHS Information Centre, Medical and Dental Workforce Census.

Drugs: Prisoners

Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of prisoners participating in detoxification programmes are receiving gradual reduction prescriptions.

Paul Burstow: None of the prisoners reported as receiving detoxification programmes in 2009-10 had received a gradual reduction prescription. Longer duration treatments, including gradual reduction prescriptions, are reported within the extended prescriptions data collection category.
	In 2009-10, 36,323 prisoners received treatment on detoxification programmes of less than 21 days prescribed treatment. In the same period, 23,744 prisoners received treatment on extended detoxification programmes. Since extended programme data include both maintenance and slow reduction treatments, and the proportion of each is not separately identified, we do not know how many prisoners received gradual reduction prescriptions.

Drugs: Rehabilitation

Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his most recent estimate is of  (a) the number of people under the age of (i) 18 and (ii) 16 years who are being prescribed (A) methadone and (B) buprenorphine/subutex and  (b) the average dose of each medication prescribed for one such patient.

Sarah Teather: I have been asked to reply.
	The National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS) collects information on the number of young people in specialist substance misuse services in England. 498 young people under the age of 18 received pharmacological interventions in 2008-09. Of these, 66 were under 16 years old. NDTMS does not distinguish between opiate substitute drugs (such as methadone or buprenorphine) and other prescribed drugs (such as Ritalin for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and it is important to note that pharmacological interventions in this context include prescribing for detoxification, stabilisation and symptomatic relief of substance misuse. Information on the doses prescribed is not recorded within NDTMS or held centrally.
	Young people's substance misuse is markedly different to that of adults. Young people tend to have shorter histories of substance use and have used lower levels of drugs for shorter periods. They are therefore much less likely to be physically dependent. Just 2% of young people in treatment in 2008-09 were using heroin or crack cocaine as their primary substance. Substitute prescribing for under-18s is therefore rare. Instead, interventions for young people centre on psychosocial counselling-based therapies. Of the 498 young people receiving pharmacological interventions in 2008-09, all but 36 received psychosocial and other interventions as well.

Epilepsy

Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what recent discussions he has had with representatives of epilepsy groups on the future of epilepsy services in the National Health Service;
	(2)  whether he plans to take steps to ensure that proposed GP consortia comply with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines on services for people with epilepsy;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of the ability of proposed GP consortia to commission epilepsy services appropriately.

Paul Burstow: At the 12 October Westminster Hall debate on epilepsy services, I gave an undertaking to meet with the All-Party Parliamentary Group and patient groups to discuss in more detail some of the issues that were raised during the debate. These meetings are currently being arranged.
	Health professionals are expected to take into account National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines on epilepsy when providing care for those with epilepsy. This arrangement will continue with the introduction of general practitioner (GP) consortiums.
	We will be working to ensure that GP consortiums have the skills to commission effective, and appropriate, services for those living with epilepsy.

Epilepsy: Pregnancy

Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to encourage GPs to comply with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's recommendation in the proposed Quality and Outcomes Framework for 2011-12 for GPs to talk to women with epilepsy about drug risk during pregnancy.

Simon Burns: The indicators recommended for inclusion in the Quality and Outcomes Framework are part of the current national general practitioner contract negotiations between the General Practitioners Committee of the British Medical Association and National Health Service Employers. Discussions between the two parties are currently ongoing.

Expert Advisory Group on AIDS

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his most recent assessment is of the performance of the Expert Advisory Group on AIDS.

Anne Milton: In terms of ongoing assessment of effectiveness of the Expert Advisory Group on AIDS (EAGA), the chair, secretariat and departmental sponsor last conducted an appraisal of the performance of all of EAGA's members in 2009. Regular meetings are also held to review EAGA's activity and identify future priorities. In addition, the quality and educational benefits of EAGA meetings are evaluated regularly.
	As part of the implementation of the changes to the Department's advisory non-departmental public body (ANDPBs), we will be implementing a periodic review process, of all our significant advisory committees and ANDPBs which will incorporate an assessment of performance and effectiveness.

General Practitioners: Finance

Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he plans to take to ensure that payments to GP practices for the improvement of premises are maintained at adequate levels under his proposals to pay such practices according to a formula based on capitation and patient list size.

Simon Burns: The Government are committed to working towards fair and equitable arrangements for all elements of general practitioner funding, including support for premises.
	We will discuss these issues with the profession over the coming period.

Genetics and Insurance Committee

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the performance of the Genetics and Insurance Committee.

Anne Milton: There has been no recent assessment made of the performance of the Genetics and Insurance Committee.
	As part of the implementation of the changes to the Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies (ANDPBs), the Department will be implementing a periodic review process (three yearly), of all our significant advisory committees and ANDPBs which will incorporate an assessment of performance and effectiveness. Wherever possible this will be conducted by an independent expert.

Health Protection Agency

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the performance of the Health Protection Agency.

Anne Milton: The Health Protection Agency (HPA) submits quarterly performance reports to the Department against an annually agreed business plan. Departmental officials meet regularly with the HPA throughout the year. An annual accountability review is held to discuss the HPA's performance against key targets. The HPA continues to provide a good performance in its vital work of protecting the public health.

Health Services

Stephen McPartland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans the NHS Commissioning Board has to adopt the third edition of the Specialised Services National Definitions Set.

Simon Burns: The White Paper "Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS" set out the Government's intention that the NHS Commissioning Board will commission national specialised services and regional specialised services set out in the Specialised Services National Definitions Set. The consultation on these proposals, which closed on 11 October, asked for views on whether any of the services currently commissioned as regional specialised services could potentially in the future be commissioned by general practitioner consortia. The consultation responses are currently being analysed.

Hepatitis C: Ealing

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of hepatitis C were diagnosed in Ealing, Southall constituency in each year since 2007.

Anne Milton: Data collected by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) do not collect laboratory confirmed cases of hepatitis C by constituency as this is not a routine data output.
	However, the HPA published hepatitis C diagnosed cases by region for each year from 1995 to 2008 in its annual report(1). The totals for London region were 1,016 cases (2007) and 972 cases (2008).
	A total of 8,812 cases of hepatitis C were reported in 2009 in England and Wales(2).
	Regional data will be available shortly.
	(1) HPA. Hepatitis C in the UK. 2009 Annual report. Table 2: Laboratory reports of hepatitis C infection by English region: 1995-2008.
	(2) HPA. Hepatitis in England and Wales: annual reports for 2009. Health Protection Report 4(34) (27 August 2010).

Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the performance of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.

Anne Milton: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) is held to account through quarterly review meetings and an annual review of performance with the departmental sponsor team.
	The Government are of the view that the HFEA has discharged its statutory functions effectively.

Human Genetics Commission

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the performance of the Human Genetics Commission.

Anne Milton: In 2008, the Department published a review of the Human Genetics Commission. The review's findings are available on the Department's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_084690

Human Tissue Authority

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the performance of the Human Tissue Authority.

Anne Milton: The Human Tissue Authority (HTA) is held to account through quarterly review meetings and an annual review of performance with the departmental sponsor team.
	The Government are of the view that the HTA has discharged its statutory functions effectively.

Independent Review Panels: Performance

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what recent assessment he has made of the performance of the Independent Review Panel on the Advertising of Medicines;
	(2)  what recent assessment he has made of the performance of the Independent Review Panel for the Classification of Borderline Products;
	(3)  what recent assessment he has made of the performance of the Herbal Medicines Advisory Committee;
	(4)  what his most recent assessment is of the performance of the Advisory Committee on Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infections;
	(5)  what his most recent assessment is of the performance of the Committee on the Safety of Devices.

Simon Burns: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) keeps the assessment of the performance of both the Herbal Medicines Advisory Committee and the Advisory Board on the Registration of Homeopathic Products under continuous review and holds regular meetings with its chairmen. In addition annual appraisals of the respective chairmen are held. This process will remain unchanged.
	The Independent Review Panel on the Advertising of Medicines and the Independent Review Panel for the classification of Borderline Products meet infrequently and as a result no formal recent assessment has been made of performance. Reports on the activities of these bodies are approved by Ministers and presented to Parliament annually.
	MHRA holds regular meetings with the chairman of the Committee on the Safety of Devices to review progress and effectiveness of the advice given and the actions proposed by this committee.

Medical Treatments

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence plans to consult on the proposed protocol to be used to determine whether it assesses products, services and technologies for rare conditions or refers them to the Advisory Group on National Specialised Services.

Simon Burns: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is currently working with the secretariat of the Advisory Group for National Specialised Services (AGNSS) to develop a set of protocols which will set out the circumstances in which NICE will suggest treatments for very rare conditions for consideration by AGNSS. We understand that NICE has no plans to consult separately on the protocols although they will be incorporated into its "Topic Selection Guide for Technology Appraisals" which is reviewed and consulted on periodically.

Mental Illness

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department issues on the use of neuroleptics in the management of psychosis-related conditions.

Paul Burstow: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence published guidance on the treatment of schizophrenia in March 2009, which includes guidelines on the use of neuroleptics. The guidance can be seen on the institute's website at:
	http://guidance.nice.org.uk/CG82/Guidance

Minor Injuries Units: Closures

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received on the potential closure of small injuries units at community hospitals; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: We are aware of no recent representations on the potential closure of small injuries units at community hospitals, other than those made by my hon. Friend in two recent pieces of correspondence with the Department and a further two parliamentary questions.
	As set out in the recent White Paper, the Government are committed to devolving power to local communities where the people, patients, general practitioners (GPs) and councils are best placed to determine improvements in their local national health service. Any changes to services must have support from GP commissioners, patients and the public, be based on sound clinical evidence and support patient choice.

National Joint Registry Steering Committee

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the National Joint Registry Steering Committee in carrying out its functions.

Simon Burns: The National Joint Registry Steering Committee has played an important role in driving forward a programme of work that has made the National Joint Registry one of the leading device registries in the world.
	As part of the implementation of the changes to the Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies, we will be implementing a periodic review of all our significant advisory committees, which will incorporate an assessment of performance and effectiveness, and will be conducted, whenever possible, by an independent expert.

NHS: Charities

Simon Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his estimate is of the amount of money donated to NHS institutions through charitable giving in  (a) Norfolk and  (b) England in each of the last five years.

Paul Burstow: The Department does not collect or hold the information requested. They are available from the individual charity accounts, also held by the Charity Commission.
	The Regulatory Reform (National Health Service Charitable and Non-Charitable Trust Accounts and Audit) Order 2005 came into effect on 31 March 2005.
	The Order removed the requirement whereby most NHS bodies in England and Wales were required to prepare two separate sets of accounts-one to the Department (or National Assembly for Wales) and the other to the Charity Commission.
	The requirement to submit two separate accounts was a requirement that had been in place since the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 1995 came into force. Related costs had to be met by the charitable funds themselves which reduced the benefits they provided.
	The Regulatory Reform Order removed this dual accounting burden by requiring NHS bodies to submit the accounts of their charitable funds only to the Charity Commission.

NHS: Drugs

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the NHS has spent on medicinal drugs in each of the last five years; and how much he expects it to spend in the next two years.

Simon Burns: Medicinal drugs expenditure includes national health service expenditure in primary care and the Hospital and Community Health Service (HCHS). Primary care expenditure reflects amounts paid to pharmacy and appliance contractors and amounts authorised for dispensing doctors and personal administration in England. HCHS expenditure includes medical gases and drugs prescribed in hospitals but dispensed in the community. The following table provides details of NHS expenditure on medicinal drugs in each of the last five years:
	
		
			  NHS medicinal drugs expenditure 
			   £ million 
			 2005-06 9,999 
			 2006-07 10,562 
			 2007-08 10,937 
			 2008-09 11,397 
			 2009-10 11,920 
			  Sources:  Prescription Pricing Division of the NHS Business services Authority, England, Department of Health Finance Division, Foundation Trust year-end accounts. 
		
	
	The table shows direct primary care trust (PCT) drugs expenditure and indirect drugs expenditure arising through PCT commissioning activities. Revenue allocations are made to PCTs, which include funding for drugs although this is not identified separately. Decisions on expenditure are made locally based on local needs and priorities. The Department does not publish forecasts of future levels of drugs expenditure.

NHS: EU Nationals

Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department takes to ensure that people coming from other EU member states to work in the NHS have  (a) adequate English language skills and  (b) the relevant required level of clinical expertise.

Anne Milton: Under automatic recognition procedures provided for by Directive 2005/36/EC, the relevant competent authority is required to check that a health or social care professional from the European economic area (EEA) applying for inclusion on its register holds a recognised qualification, listed in the directive that has been issued by an EEA competent authority. Under the general system procedures the competent authority is required to check the qualifications of the incoming migrant on a case by case basis to ensure that the qualifications held meet the minimum requirements set by the competent authority. Identity checks and character references may be undertaken, but the regulators may not apply additional checks other than those provided for by the directive at the point of registration.
	We understand that the healthcare professions regulatory bodies cannot test the language skills of migrant workers from the EEA before registering them because of the restriction in the directive. Registration depends on whether or not the migrant has the appropriate qualification to practice their profession. It does not mean that a professional has demonstrated that he or she is fit to do a particular job in a particular place.
	An employer or a contracting authority should satisfy themselves of a candidate's skills and competencies, including their ability to communicate to the required standard for the post. Clear guidance has been issued to national health service bodies on this issue, which applies equally where a candidate is from the EEA.
	Following the recent Health Select Committee's report on the use of overseas doctors in providing out-of-hours services the Government will explore whether there is a more effective system for undertaking checks on the language knowledge of primary care practitioners.
	Once registered, a health or social care professional is bound to observe the professional standards set by the relevant healthcare regulatory body and action against any breaches of those standards could be taken against an EEA professional as normal.

Nurses: Africa

Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses currently working in the NHS gained their primary medical qualification in  (a) Malawi and  (b) Uganda.

Anne Milton: The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) collects data on the number of admissions to the NMC register by overseas country. The number of nurses admitted to the register in the year ending 31 March 2008 is shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Number 
			 Malawi 3 
			 Uganda 4

Nurses: EU Nationals

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what procedures his Department follows to establish whether nurses and midwives from other EU member states have sufficient English language skills to practise in England.

Anne Milton: The Department has no direct role in establishing whether nurses and midwives from other European Union member states have sufficient language skills to practise in England.
	Under the recognition procedures provided for by Directive 2005/36/EC the Nursing and Midwifery Council (as the competent authority for nurses and midwives in the United Kingdom) is required to check that professionals from the European economic area applying for inclusion on its register hold a recognised qualification listed in the directive or that the qualification they hold meets the minimum standard they set.
	Post registration it is for employers and contracting bodies to ensure that any nurses or midwives they employ or contract with have the necessary skills and competencies (including language competence) for the job.

Prescriptions: Fees and Charges

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for the implementation of his proposal to introduce free prescriptions for people with long-term conditions.

Simon Burns: The Government announced in the Spending Review that some programmes proposed by the previous Government will not be taken forward. This includes free prescriptions for people with long-term conditions. This decision does not affect the medical conditions that are exempt under the current system. We will continue to look at options for creating a fairer system of prescription charges and exemptions in England, taking into account the overall national health service financial context.

Primary Care Trusts

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his most recent estimate is of the initial costs incurred in respect of ending primary care trusts and replacing them with GP consortia in  (a) England and  (b) Birmingham.

Yvonne Fovargue: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his most recent estimate is of the initial costs likely to be incurred in respect of ending primary care trusts and replacing them with GP consortia in  (a) England and  (b) Wigan.

Simon Burns: The White Paper "Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS" set out proposals for fundamental changes to the ways that the national health service is structured and run.
	The precise costs, at both national and local level, of the abolition of primary care trusts and the advent of general practitioner consortia will not be known until the new organisations that will underpin the new system have been designed in more detail.
	Four consultations relating to how the new organisations should be designed-specifically covering "transparency on outcomes, liberating the NHS: local democratic legitimacy in health" and "commissioning for patients and regulating healthcare providers"-have recently closed and once the results of these have been analysed we will publish the costs of the new system in an impact assessment.
	A further two consultations on other aspects of reform set out in the White Paper-specifically "an information revolution" and "greater choice and control" have recently been launched and will close in January.

Primary Care Trusts

Daniel Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements he has made for the proposed phasing out of primary care trusts.

Simon Burns: Under the proposals in the White Paper, "Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS", primary care trusts (PCTs) will be abolished from April 2013. By this time, there would be a comprehensive system of general practitioner (GP) consortia with statutory responsibility for commissioning most national health service health care services and an independent NHS Commissioning Board whose responsibilities would include commissioning those health care services for which GP consortia are not responsible. This proposed timetable is designed to enable emerging consortia to work on a collaborative basis with PCTs during the period up to April 2013 to ensure a smooth transition to the new arrangements.
	Analysis of the consultation on the implementation of the proposals set out in the White Paper is currently under way. The Government response will be published in due course.

Radiotherapy

Gavin Barwell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of NHS patients who receive radiotherapy were treated with IMRT or GRT in the latest period for which figures are available.

Paul Burstow: It is currently not possible to identify Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy or Image Guided Radiotherapy from other forms of radiotherapy treatment within the Hospital Episode Statistics available to the Department.
	The Department is working with the national health service to implement a National Radiotherapy Dataset to support the implementation of the commitment that, by December 2010, no patient should wait longer than 31 days for subsequent radiotherapy, as set out in the Cancer Reform Strategy.
	The National Radiotherapy Dataset project team is working with providers to improve collection of data on IMRT and Adaptive Radiotherapy (which covers IGRT) using standard OPCS-4.5 (which has introduced codes for these interventions) clinical coding conventions. However, as with the introduction of new codes, the data entry levels and quality need to improve before the reported activity can be validated. Release of the radiotherapy dataset is governed by Radiotherapy Clinical Information Group, part of National Radiotherapy Advisory Group. April 2011 is the proposed date.

Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition in carrying out its functions.

Anne Milton: As part of the implementation of the changes resulting from the Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies review, we will be implementing a three yearly review process of all our significant advisory committees, including the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition, which will incorporate an assessment of performance and effectiveness.

Swine Flu: Vaccination

Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department has  (a) commissioned or  (b) evaluated research on a potential link between the swine influenza vaccine and the development of Guillain-Barre syndrome.

Anne Milton: The association between swine flu vaccine and Guillain-Barre syndrome is being continuously assessed by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). This assessment is based on review of individual case reports as well as epidemiological studies conducted across Europe from the start of the immunisation campaign to investigate any association. This includes a study from the British Paediatric Surveillance Unit funded by the Department.
	Epidemiological studies are ongoing to further assess this possible association and MHRA will carefully evaluate such data in conjunction with other European member states.

Waste Disposal: Health Hazards

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent research his Department has  (a) commissioned,  (b) evaluated and  (c) conducted on the potential effects on health of emissions from energy from waste plants.

Richard Benyon: I have been asked to reply.
	DEFRA has commissioned the following research on the potential effects on health of emissions from energy from waste plants:
	"Review of Environmental and Health Effects of Waste Management: Municipal Solid Waste and Similar Wastes", by Enviros Consulting Ltd and university of Birmingham with Risk and Policy Analysts Ltd, Open university and Maggie Thurgood. This was evaluated through peer review by the Royal Society and published in 2004.
	"Emissions from Waste Management Facilities: Frameworks for Assessment of Data Quality and Research Needs (WR0608)", by Environmental Resources Management Ltd. This is due to be published later this year following evaluation by peer review.
	"Exposure-response relationships for bioaerosol emissions from waste treatment processes (WR0606)" by the Institute of Occupational Medicine. This was evaluated through peer review by a bioaerosols expert and was published in 2009.
	Further information on this research can be found on the DEFRA website at:
	www.defra.gov.uk
	The Environment Agency recently commissioned a review of the health effects of combustion processes, including incineration, and expects to publish a report by the end of the year.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Business

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what information his Department holds on the number of its staff who have run a small business employing fewer than 10 people  (a) in and  (b) outside the South East.

Edward Davey: This information is not recorded centrally in BIS.

Business

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many representatives of small businesses serve on  (a) boards of and  (b) advisory committees associated with his Department.

Edward Davey: Details of members of the boards of the Department's public bodies (including advisory NDPBs) are not held centrally, and can be found on the website of the body or in their annual report and accounts.
	The Public Bodies Report 2010, showing the list of BIS's public bodies as at 31 March, is due to be published towards the end of November.
	Lists of the public bodies of BERR and DIUS, as at 31 March 2009, are available at the following links:
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/files/file53723.pdf
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/corporate/docs/d/10-591-dius-public-bodies-2009.pdf
	In addition we have four ad hoc advisory groups. The number of small business representatives on each of these are as follows:
	Automotive Council: two members
	Industrial Biotechnology Innovation and Growth Leadership Forum: two members
	Regulatory Policy Committee: two members
	The Gateways to the Professions Collaborative Forum: 0 members.

Conditions of Employment

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate his Department has made of the  (a) time and  (b) financial costs to small businesses incurred in observing the statutory duty to consider Right to Request requests from employees.

Edward Davey: We estimate that two hours of employee time, and three hours of management time are required to process a request that is dealt with formally. This works out at approximately £62 per request.
	Where a request is appealed we estimate four hours of employee time and six hours of management time to process an appeal that is dealt with formally. This works out at approximately £123 per appeal.
	We have assumed that these costs apply to all sizes of business at the same rate.

Credit Reference Agencies

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he has had recent discussions with credit reference agencies on the process for correcting inaccurately recorded data.

Edward Davey: There have been no recent discussions with credit reference agencies on this matter.
	If the credit information held on file is incorrect, consumers are advised to write to the credit reference agency or direct to the lender. The agency is under a statutory obligation to inform the consumer within 28 days if it has removed the entry from the file, amended the entry or taken no action. If, after writing to the lender or the credit reference agency, the information is still wrong or no response is received, the consumer is advised to contact the Information Commissioner.
	Earlier this year credit reference agencies agreed a package of measures designed to improve consumers' access to and understanding of their credit reference files. I announced this on 12 July 2010.

Data Protection: EU Countries

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent progress has been made on developing a secure communications system based on quantum cryptography for data transmission to and from EU Member States.

Nick Herbert: I have been asked to reply.
	Quantum cryptography as a basis for data transmission is being developed mainly within academia but also by a small number of commercial companies in Europe. It is not a fully mature technology and there are no immediate plans for the UK Government to develop a secure communications system for data transmission to and from EU member states based on it. Communications between EU member states are currently protected by Government approved cryptographic codes. There are currently no approved cryptographic codes using quantum cryptography for data transmission nor any immediate prospect of any being submitted for approval.

Departmental Internet

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what consideration his Department has given to increasing the accessibility and attractiveness to small businesses of its website.

Edward Davey: The BIS corporate website serves a broad range of audiences, with businesses comprising around 20% of visitors. The sections of the site of most interest to small businesses are 'Policies: Enterprise and business support' and 'Policies: Employment matters'.
	The 'Enterprise and business support' and 'Employment matters' sections of the site have recently been reviewed and reorganised to simplify access to the information they contain on policy, legislation and services. They also provide clear signposting to Business Link guidance where relevant.
	More generally, BIS is continuously reviewing its web content and structure to make the site more accessible and engaging for all users.
	In line with the cross-Government channel strategy, content that provides practical guidance to small businesses has moved from the BIS website to the Business Link site, which is the official Government website for businesses.

Departmental Sick Leave

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills for how many days on average his Department's staff in each pay grade were absent from work as a result of ill health in 2009-10.

Edward Davey: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) was created on Friday 5 June 2009 from the merger of the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) and the Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) which ceased to exist from that date.
	In line with Cabinet Office requirements, BIS publishes information about staff sickness absence on a quarterly basis. The latest return showing absence between 1 July 2009 and 30 June 2010 is available on the BIS website at:
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/about/performance-reports
	This includes information about the average number of working days lost to sickness at each grade during this period. The average figure across all BIS staff is 3.8 working days lost.

Departmental Sick Leave

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many days his Department has lost to staff sickness in each year since his Department's inception; and what estimate he made of the cost to his Department of sickness absence in each such year.

Edward Davey: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) was created on Friday 5 June 2009 from the merger of the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) and the Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) which ceased to exist from that date.
	In line with Cabinet Office requirements, BIS publishes information about staff sickness absence on a quarterly basis. The latest return showing absence between 1 July 2009 and 30 June 2010 is available on the BIS website at:
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/about/performance-reports
	This shows that 13,036 days have been lost to sickness during this period.
	No central information is held about the cost of sickness absence in BIS; however, information about absence costs in the wider civil service is available in reports published by the Cabinet office from 2003 to 2007. These can be viewed at:
	http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/resources/sickness/sickness.aspx

Departmental Sick Leave

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many officials in his Department have had  (a) fewer than five days,  (b) five to 10 days,  (c) 10 to 15 days,  (d) 15 to 20 days,  (e) 20 to 25 days,  (f) 25 to 50 days,  (g) 50 to 75 days,  (h) 75 to 100 days,  (i) 100 to 150 days,  (j) 150 to 200 days,  (k) more than 200 days,  (l) more than three months,  (m) more than six months and  (n) one year on paid sick leave (i) consecutively and (ii) in total in each year since his Department's inception.

Edward Davey: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) was created on Friday 5 June 2009 from the merger of the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) and the Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) which ceased to exist from that date.
	Detailed breakdowns of absences within BIS are not centrally available; however, on a quarterly basis, in line with Cabinet Office requirements, we publish quarterly absence data on the BIS website. This includes the numbers of days lost to long-term absence (more than 21 working days), and short-term absence over the last 12 months; and the number of staff with no absence at all over the period. The latest return showing absence between 1 July 2009 and 30 June 2010 is available on the BIS website at:
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/about/performance-reports

Departmental Work Experience

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many interns his Department has engaged in the last 12 months; and how many were  (a) unpaid,  (b) remunerated with expenses only and  (c) paid a salary.

Edward Davey: This Department has employed about 23 interns and summer placement students in the last 12 months. All interns are paid either a training allowance or the basic pay for the grade of work they are doing.

Employment

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills for what employment legislation his Department is responsible; and what progress has been made on the Government's proposed review of employment law.

Edward Davey: BIS is responsible for a number of areas of employment regulation. These include the national minimum wage (NMW), working time, age discrimination, dispute resolution, trade union law and family-friendly policy.
	We are considering employment regulations area by area, over the long-term, and we have started to engage with interested parties as part of the review process. We expect to make an announcement on progress in the coming weeks.

Flexible Working

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate his Department has made of the cost to small businesses of the extension of the right to request flexible working.

Edward Davey: On 30 September I announced the extension to the right to request flexible working to all parents of children aged 17, from the 1 April 2011. I have published a full impact assessment on this extension. The overall cost to small businesses of this extension is estimated at around £1 million per annum. This estimate assumes that the additional take-up rate of flexible working is the same across all firm sizes.
	I have not yet made an estimate for the extension to the right to request flexible working to all employees, but I will publish an impact assessment on the extension alongside the consultation document.

Flexible Working

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  what plans he has to bring forward further proposals for the right to request flexible working;
	(2)  what progress is being made on his Department's consultation on extending the right to request flexible working to all employees;
	(3)  what steps he is taking to consult small businesses on his proposals on the right to request flexible working.

Edward Davey: I plan to consult on the extension to the right to request flexible working to all employees in due course.
	I will make the consultation document available to small business employers alongside all other interested parties.
	On 15 September I ran a round table event at No. 10 to discuss consultation plans with a number of employers and representative groups. This event included a number of small business employers.

Foreign Investment in UK

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the effect on foreign direct investment in the UK of the application of UK and EU employment law.

Edward Davey: Employment legislation in the UK is constructed in a way that allows the greatest freedom for business and workers to find types and patterns of work that suit them while still maintaining universal basic minimum rights.
	The employment regulation regime is one of the factors behind the success of the UK labour market and this is recognised by a number of international measures including the World Economic Forum's "Labour Market Efficiency" indicator (which ranks the UK eighth out of 139 countries) and the World Bank's Doing Business "Employing Workers" indicator (ranking the UK 35th out of 183 countries).
	Furthermore the OECD in its seminal Jobs Study Review in 2006 identified the UK as one of the 'successful employment performers' and, despite the recession, the UK still has one of the highest employment rates in the world. Across the OECD, its "Employment Protection Legislation" indicator ranks the UK second only behind the US. This feature has worked in tandem with the Government's welfare to work policies. The Government's proposals for work programme and benefit reform aim to enhance these welfare to work policies.
	The UK is rated as the best location in the European Union for the attraction of foreign skills(1) and a survey by Manpower conducted in 2009 found that companies in the UK have fewer difficulties in recruiting skilled workers than in most other European locations.
	The UK is the number one recipient in Europe of FDI projects(2). The UK is also the most attractive destination in Europe for FDI, according to the Ernst and Young European Attractiveness Survey 2010.
	 Source:
	(1) Institute of Management Development, 2009.
	(2) Ernst and Young/European Investment Monitor Surveys.

Foreign Investment in UK

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he has assessed the effect on inward investment of the introduction of additional paternity leave.

Edward Davey: A full impact assessment of the costs and benefits to businesses of additional paternity leave was made prior to the introduction of regulations. No assessment was made of the indirect effect on inward investment.
	The impact assessment can be found at:
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/employment-matters/docs/09-1209-consultation-doc-paternity.pdf

Further Education

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans he has to implement his proposal to introduce student loans for people taking courses at further education colleges; and if he will make a statement.

John Hayes: As set out in the spending review announcement on 20 October 2010, for adult further education and skills training the balance of funding will be shifted from the taxpayer towards the individuals and employers who benefit, including though the introduction of student loans The Department is considering the outcomes of the spending review alongside the responses to the recent consultation Skills for Sustainable Growth, which asked for views on the development of a new skills strategy. The outcomes of this will be published later in the autumn.

Higher Education and Student Finance Independent Review

Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the effect of the proposals in the Browne review of higher education on future graduates who are  (a) men and  (b) women.

David Willetts: Lord Browne conducted an independent review of higher education funding and student finance which was published on 12 October. The Government have accepted the broad thrust of the recommendations and will undertake their own equality assessment which we will publish alongside the Higher Education White Paper during the winter.

Higher Education and Student Finance Independent Review

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will estimate the number of universities which will be in operation 12 months after the implementation of the proposals of the Browne Review of higher education.

David Willetts: We have no reliable evidence on which to make such an estimate. Our reforms to higher education will provide strong incentives for institutions to focus on providing high quality teaching as efficiently as possible. Over time, popular and successful institutions will be able to grow and we expect new providers to enter the sector providing they can offer teaching to the high standards students will expect. HEFCE will monitor the financial health and sustainability of institutions to protect the public investment in higher education. But HEIs are autonomous institutions and, if a university mismanages its affairs, we cannot offer a guarantee of protection.

Higher Education: Admissions

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  how many people resident in each parliamentary constituency applied to each higher education institution in each of the last five years for which information is available;
	(2)  how many people resident in each parliamentary constituency applied to enter an undergraduate course at each higher education institution in each of the last five years for which information is available;
	(3)  how many undergraduate students normally resident in each parliamentary constituency were accepted to each higher education institution in each of the last five years for which information is available.

David Willetts: Information on applicants and accepted applicants by individual institution is held by UCAS. UCAS does not issue data by higher education institutions as this is the subject of a confidentiality agreement between UCAS and the institutions.
	Information on the total number of applicants and accepted applicants, produced by UCAS, will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Higher Education: Curriculum

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  what plans he has for the future of the funding currently allocated by regional development agencies to strategically important and vulnerable subjects;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the effects of the implementation of the proposed reform of non-departmental public bodies on levels of support for strategically important and vulnerable subjects;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the likely change in the level of funding for strategically important and vulnerable subjects in each of the next three years;
	(4)  what estimate he has made of the likely change in the level of funding for high-cost science subjects in each of the next three years;
	(5)  what assessment he has made of the contribution of strategically important and vulnerable subjects to economic growth;
	(6)  what estimate he has made of the likely change in the level of funding for each strategically important and vulnerable subject as a proportion of the total budget allocated to such subjects in each of the next three years;
	(7)  what factors he took into account when allocating funding for strategically important and vulnerable subjects;
	(8)  what proportion of the cost of courses in strategically and important vulnerable subjects in universities was covered by  (a) central Government and  (b) tuition fees in the most recent period for which figures are available.

David Willetts: The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) is charged with distributing teaching grant to higher education institutions according to a methodology it determines. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State plays no part in the discharge of that function. He cannot direct the amount of grant to be awarded to any particular subject or institution. In broad terms the funding system is designed to recognise the relative costs of teaching. Each subject is allocated to one of four price groups A to D. The range of teaching grant per full time equivalent undergraduate student ranges from £15,804 in group A to £3,951 in group D. In addition institutions receive fees of up to £3,290 per student per year. So for example the fee would cover 45% of the cost of a price group D course such as business studies, whereas the fee would cover 17% of the cost of a group A course such as medicine. Once allocated to a price group all subjects in that are treated equally in terms of the allocation of core teaching grant.
	The right hon. Member the then Secretary of State wrote to HEFCE in 2004 seeking advice on which subjects are of such national and strategic importance that without additional support they may not survive through the usual operation of the market in student applications. Those courses currently identified as Strategically Important or Vulnerable Subjects (SIVS) are:
	Chemistry, Engineering, Maths and Physics
	Modern Foreign Languages and some area studies
	Quantitative Social Science
	Islamic studies
	Advances in science and technology are key to UK economic growth and social prosperity. To achieve long-term progress, the UK relies on a strong base of science and engineering skills at all levels within the population and a healthy and thriving research base.
	However, it should be noted that not all Science Technology Engineering and Maths courses (STEM) are designated as SIVS. Equally SIVS status does not necessarily indicate that a subject is expensive to deliver. Foreign languages and maths are in price group C for example.
	HEFCE has chosen to support SIVS through a series of projects and initiatives aimed at maintaining entry to these subjects and building capacity in the higher education sector. The total amount of funding since 2005/06 is £350 million.
	Future funding will be dependent upon the outcome of the spending review for higher education and the Regional Development Agencies. It will inform my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's annual grant letter to HEFCE which will set the level of funding for 2011-12 and the allocations to the Regional Development Agencies in the same period.
	The Browne Review recommended that future public funding of higher education should concentrate on priority subject areas. In addition it recommended changes to the bodies currently funding and regulating the system. The Government will respond to these and the other recommendations in its forthcoming Higher Education White Paper.

Human Rights

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he made of the cost to his Department and its non-departmental public bodies of compliance with  (a) domestic,  (b) European and  (c) other international human rights requirements in each year since his Department's inception; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Davey: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) does not collate information on the costs of compliance with human rights requirements. The Department takes account of the domestic and international human rights framework in developing all its policies and practices, as it does other relevant legal obligations; an accurate estimate of the total cost of compliance with human rights obligations could not be made without incurring disproportionate cost.

Internet

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what his policy is on ensuring that all internet service providers have  (a) equal access to fibre optic cables and  (b) equal opportunities to lay new cables.

Edward Vaizey: BT Openreach runs the access part of network and provides a service to communication providers (CPs) on an equivalent basis.
	On 7 October 2010, Ofcom, the independent regulator for the UK communications industry issued a statement ("Review of the wholesale local access market") which introduced new regulatory obligations on BT.
	In particular, BT is required to supply wholesale access to its new fibre-to-the-cabinet (FTTC) and fibre-to-the-premise (FTTP) networks to other providers so that they can offer competing services to consumers. Given the current economic and technical circumstances, this wholesale access will take the form of a virtual access connection.
	In addition, BT will be required to open up its duct and pole infrastructure so that other providers can deploy their own fibre access networks.
	These two new regulatory obligations are intended to support both competition and investment in superfast broadband services.

Media

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to encourage plurality in the media market.

Edward Vaizey: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government believe it is important for the media to reflect different viewpoints at the national level and to safeguard democratic debate. Plurality in the media market is protected by promoting effective competition in relevant markets and regulating mergers to ensure they do not result in a loss of such competition. Statutory rules enforced by Ofcom separately place absolute restrictions on cross media ownership. Exceptionally, the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills may intervene in a media merger to address concerns about the need to maintain plurality in media ownership.

Mobile Telephone Contracts

Ian Swales: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent representations he has received on cooling-off periods for mobile telephone contracts; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Vaizey: I have received no recent representations. Contracts are normally enforceable from the time they are concluded and statutory cooling off periods are provided only in exceptional circumstances where consumers may be in a particularly vulnerable position, for example, when making contracts in their home or at a distance. There are no statutory cooling off periods specifically related to the purchase of mobile phones.

North of England

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many visits  (a) Ministers and  (b) officials of his Department have made to (i) Skipton and Ripon constituency, (ii) Yorkshire and the Humber and (iii) the North of England since May 2010.

Edward Davey: The Department's Ministers have undertaken 17 trips in total to the north of England during the period 12 May to 22 October 2010.
	Details of trips to the north of England undertaken by the Department's officials could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development: Human Rights

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the Government's policy was on the proposed incorporation of human rights standards into the revised Organisation of Economic Corporation and Development Common Approaches at the meeting of that organisation in Paris on 23 and 24 June 2010.

Edward Davey: The 2007 OECD Council Recommendation on Common Approaches on the Environment and Officially Supported Export Credits (the Common Approaches) already includes the need for member Export Credit Agencies (ECAs) to review the human rights impacts of projects they are asked to support which fall within the ambit of the Recommendation. When undertaking a review, ECAs are required to benchmark projects against the relevant aspects of the World Bank Safeguard Policies which cover human rights issues such as indigenous peoples and involuntary resettlement or where appropriate the Performance Standards of the International Finance Corporation which cover aspects of human rights such as labour and working conditions, community health and safety and security, land acquisition and involuntary settlement and indigenous peoples.
	The Government are supporting work being undertaken by the OECD in its current review of the Common Approaches to examine the scope for developing further the assessment of human rights impacts of projects supported by the ECAs, which will help inform the content of a new Common Approaches agreement. ECGD is participating in that review.

Overseas Trade: Mongolia

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the monetary value was of  (a) imports from and  (b) exports to Mongolia of goods and services in each UK sector in each of the last five years.

Mark Prisk: This information requested on UK exports and imports of goods with Mongolia in each sector between 2005-09, as well as the total for UK imports and exports with Mongolia for 2008-09 will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Parental Leave: EU Law

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department plans to take to implement the provisions of the EU Parental Leave Directive.

Edward Davey: The Parental Leave Directive implements a social partner framework agreement on Parental Leave. The UK implemented the original EU Parental Leave Directive (96/34/EC) in 1999. Following the European Social Partners' revision of the framework agreement, a revised EU Parental Leave Directive (2010/18/EU) which was adopted by the European Council in March 2010.
	The Government will implement the provisions of the revised Directive as part of our coalition commitment to a system of flexible shared parental leave. We will be consulting on this system in due course.

Parental Leave: EU Law

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment his Department has made on the effect on small businesses of implementation of the EU Parental Leave Directive.

Edward Davey: The Parental Leave Directive implements a social partner framework agreement on Parental Leave. The UK implemented the original EU Parental Leave Directive (96/34/EC) in 1999. Following the European Social Partners' revision of the framework agreement, a revised EU Parental Leave Directive (2010/18/EU) which was adopted by the European Council in March 2010.
	In November 2009 the Department for Business Innovation and Skills prepared an Impact Assessment of the implications of the revised Directive, including on small firms. This document is available through the following link:
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/files/file53640.pdf

Paternity Leave

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 13 October 2010,  Official Report, column 335W, on paternity leave, what criteria his Department will use to determine whether shared paternal leave works for businesses; what method his Department used to estimate the proportion of small businesses to be affected by the introduction of additional paternity leave; what criteria were used to determine whether a small business would be affected; and when his Department proposes to  (a) open and  (b) close the consultation on its proposals for additional paternity leave.

Edward Davey: We will consult in due course on plans to introduce shared parental leave, listening to employers and employer representatives' views on how we can best meet the needs of affected businesses.
	A full impact assessment, including methodology used to calculate the proportion of small businesses that would be affected by additional paternity leave, is available at
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/employment-matters/docs/09-1209-consultation-doc-paternity.pdf
	Additional paternity leave regulations came into effect in April 2010 for parents of children due on or after 3 April 2011. We have no further proposals on additional paternity leave on which to consult.

Retirement: Age

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  what plans his Department has to consult on the ending of the default retirement age; what the likely timetable is for such consultation; and what plans he has to consult small businesses;
	(2)  what assessment his Department has undertaken of the effect on small businesses of the end of the default retirement age.

Edward Davey: A consultation on our proposals for phasing out the default retirement age commenced on 29 July. The consultation document incorporates the impact assessment which considers the impact on small firms. The closing date for the consultation was 21 October.
	Alongside the consultation process, input is being provided by a standing stakeholder engagement group. Members include organisations representing employers, including small business, for example the Federation of Small Businesses and the British Chambers of Commerce.

Royal Mail

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will take steps to ensure that Royal Mail  (a) retains its name and  (b) is able to retain its Royal Charter in circumstances in which it is sold to an overseas buyer.

Edward Davey: The Government believe that Royal Mail should continue to retain its name and other royal associations as it will continue to be the provider of the universal postal service throughout the UK.
	We appreciate that there may be concerns about the potential for misuse of these associations in the future, so we propose to put in place safeguards to ensure that they are used respectfully and appropriately at all times and that mechanisms exist to remove these privileges if necessary.
	The Government are discussing these matters with the palace.

Royal Mail

Penny Mordaunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he plans to make it a condition of the sale of Royal Mail that the name Royal Mail be retained in perpetuity; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Davey: The Government consider that any buyer of Royal Mail, for commercial reasons and in recognition of the company's heritage, would wish to continue to use the name without the need for any conditions to be placed on them.
	We do, however, recognise that there may be concerns about the potential for misuse of the name and other Royal associations if Royal Mail in the future, so we propose to put in place safeguards to ensure that they are used respectfully and appropriately at all times and that mechanisms exist to remove these privileges if necessary.

Science: Research

Esther McVey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to maintain the UK's attractiveness to the scientific, technical and research sectors.

David Willetts: The UK's research base is world leading: second only in research excellence to the United States, as measured by journal publications and citations. This position is not maintained by the level of spending alone: the UK has the most productive research base in the G8.
	This Government recognise the fundamental role of science and research in rebalancing the economy and restoring economic growth. Despite enormous pressure on public spending, the overall level of funding for science and research programmes has been protected in cash terms over the entire period covered by the spending review.
	Science and research resource funding has been ring-fenced, creating a stable investment climate for science and research which allows universities and research institutes to plan strategically, and should give businesses, public services and charities the confidence to invest in the research base.

Science: Research

Esther McVey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent estimate his Department has made of the contribution that UK science and technology research makes to the global economy.

David Willetts: Single estimates of the contribution of the UK science and research base are not available as the benefits from science and research reflect in diverse areas of economic and social activity that cannot be easily aggregated together.
	International comparisons of the relative contribution of the UK to global advances in science and research are followed through in the various assessments BIS undertakes of the performance of the research base, including
	1. Annual returns under the economic impact reporting framework-available on Research Councils' websites. These give evidence of the international standing of funded by councils, peer reviewed as excellent and outstanding by international standards, as well as examples of international advice led by Research Councils investments such as Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) advice during the crises of international air space caused by the volcanic ash cloud.
	2. Biannual international comparisons of spending and performance under the report "The International Comparative Performance of the UK Research Base" published in the BIS website. In this the UK ranks second in the world (after the USA) attracting 9% of world publications, 12% of world citations and 14% of the world's highly cited papers. The UK is also the most productive research base among the large economies of the G8, when considering publications and citations per pound spent.

Science: Research

Esther McVey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to assist science and technology research institutions in contributing to economic growth.

David Willetts: The announcements made in the spending review recognise that science and technology research are critical to long term economic growth. Despite pressure on public spending, funding for science and research programmes has been protected in cash terms at £4.6 billion per annum, ring-fenced for the four years of the spending review. Over £200 million of funding will also be provided for an elite network of Technology and Innovation Centres.
	Government are putting in place a range of measures to encourage the contribution of science and technology research institutions to economic growth. These include the Research Councils' Pathways to Impact, HEFCE's proposed Research Excellence Framework and reform to Higher Education Innovation Funding. The Technology Strategy Board will be the Government's prime channel through which we incentivise business-led technology innovation.

Secondary Education

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many  (a) sixth form colleges,  (b) general further education colleges,  (c) land-based colleges,  (d) art, design and performing art colleges and  (e) special designated colleges offer courses to 14 and 15-year-olds.

John Hayes: Information is not currently collected centrally on the number of further education institutions which offer courses to 14 and 15-year-olds. However, data are available on the number of Government-funded learners aged 14 and 15-years-old participating in further education institutions in 2008/09.
	The following table shows the number of further education institutions with learners aged either 14 or 15-years-old participating on Government-funded courses in 2008/09.
	
		
			  Provider type  Number of providers 
			 Sixth form college 60 
			 General further education college (including tertiary) 201 
			 Special college-agricultural and horticultural college 14 
			 Special college-art and design college - 
			 Specialist designated college 1 
			  Notes:  1. Age is based on learner age at the start of the academic year  (31 August 2008).  2. Information in this table is based on all Government-funded learners. 3. These data include FE, apprenticeships/work-based learning, adult safeguarded learning and university for industry funding streams.   Source:  Individualised Learner Record.

Training: Females

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  what his most recent estimate is of the number of women who have gained a qualification as a result of taking part in the Women and Work Sector Skills Pathway Initiative in  (a) Redditch constituency,  (b) Worcestershire and  (c) England;
	(2)  what his most recent estimate is of the number of women who have increased their salary levels as a result of taking part in the Women and Work Sector Skills Pathway Initiative in  (a) Redditch constituency,  (b) Worcestershire and  (c) England.

John Hayes: Between April 2009 and March 2010 there were 196 learners across the national regions of England who reported achieving a qualification as a result of their participation in the Women and Work Programme. Data are not available at a regional or constituency level.
	Between April 2009 and March 2010, 264 learners across the national regions of England achieved an increase in salary following training on the Women and Work Programme. Data are not available at a regional or constituency level.

Unemployment: North East

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to reduce the number of unemployed young people in the North East.

Chris Grayling: I have been asked to reply.
	Unemployment among young people is unacceptably high and the range of programmes we inherited is confusing. For these reasons, we will introduce a new single Work Programme in the first half of 2010. This will offer young people targeted personalised help and will be delivered through the best of private and voluntary sector providers.
	However, we recognise that, in itself, the Work Programme will not be enough. On 4 October we launched two new measures: Work Clubs as a way of encouraging people who are out of work to exchange skills and share experiences and Work Together as a way of developing work skills through volunteering. We also announced the new enterprise allowance which will support unemployed people who wish to move off benefits into self-employment. We are continuing to develop further measures to encourage pre-employment training and work placements.

Working Hours: EU Law

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent steps he has taken to maintain the UK's opt-out from the provisions of the Working Time Directive.

Edward Davey: The coalition Government are committed to limiting the application of the working time directive in the UK, including maintaining the flexibility provided by the right of individuals to opt out of the maximum 48-hour working week. We have made, and continue to make clear to the Commission and to partners in Europe, that we will engage positively and constructively with any further negotiations on the directive but that the UK position on the opt-out will remain absolutely firm.

TREASURY

BP: Tax Allowances

Michael Meacher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much BP has received in tax relief in respect of measures to clean up the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico; and what estimate he has made of the total sum to be foregone by the Exchequer in such relief.

David Gauke: It is not appropriate for the Government to comment on the confidential tax affairs of individual businesses.

Child Benefit

Ann McKechin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many children in each constituency in Scotland live in households which will be affected by the proposed changes to the administration of child benefit he announced on 4 October 2010; and what estimate he has made of the average reduction in payments for such households;
	(2)  how many households earning over £44,000 per year are in receipt of child benefit in each constituency in Scotland.

Simon Wright: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what proportion of households in Norwich South constituency in receipt of child benefit include  (a) a higher rate taxpayer,  (b) a lone parent and  (c) both.

Kate Green: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the number of children in Stretford and Urmston constituency in households which will no longer be eligible for child benefit when his proposed rules on parental incomes are implemented.

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of families in Birmingham, Selly Oak constituency who will no longer receive child benefit from 2013 under his proposals to withdraw child benefit from families where one or both parents are higher rate tax payers.

Paul Goggins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many households including one or more higher rate tax payers are in receipt of child benefit in Wythenshawe and Sale East constituency.

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many households in Bridgend constituency will be affected by the proposed changes to the administration of child benefit; and if he will make a statement.

Karen Bradley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many households in Staffordshire Moorlands constituency  (a) with at least one higher rate taxpayer and  (b) with no higher rate taxpayers but a taxable household income which exceeds the higher rate tax threshold for an individual claim child benefit.

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of families in Livingston constituency in receipt of child benefit who will cease to be eligible for payments following the implementation of his proposals to change the administration of child benefit.

David Gauke: Information on household income for Child Benefit claimants is not available at parliamentary constituency level.

Child Benefit: Livingston

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families in Livingston constituency are in receipt of child benefit.

David Gauke: The August 2009 snapshot of all Child Benefit claims shows that 15,195 families claim Child Benefit in the Livingston constituency on behalf of 25,555 children. This information can be found at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/child_benefit/chb-geog-aug09.pdf

Departmental Disciplinary Proceedings

Priti Patel: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many officials in his Department have been  (a) subject to disciplinary action,  (b) removed from post,  (c) transferred to another position and  (d) dismissed for matters relating to their (i) disciplinary record and (ii) performance in each year since 1997.

Justine Greening: Information prior to 2005 was not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Regarding disciplinary issues, it is the Treasury's policy not to release full details relating to numbers of staff fewer than five, where to do so might lead to the identification of individual cases.
	On that basis the number of cases where disciplinary action was taken in the Treasury in each of the last six years were as follows:
	
		
			  Disciplinary Action 
			   Number 
			 2005 (1)- 
			 2006 9 
			 2007 9 
			 2008 (1)- 
			 2009 (1)- 
			 2010 (1)- 
			 (1) Fewer than five 
		
	
	There have been fewer than five dismissed for matters relating to their disciplinary record. There have been no such cases in respect of the other issues raised by my hon. Friend.

Departmental Legal Costs

Graham Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the reasons are for the change in the amount spent by his Department on legal advice between  (a) 2007-08 to 2008-09 and  (b) from 2008-09 to 2009-10.

Justine Greening: It is regretted that the table provided in the answer given on 27 July 2010,  Official Report, column 940W is incorrect. It shows expenditure on legal advice by HM Treasury charged to some but not all relevant accounting codes. For the years 2007-08 and following, reference to all relevant codes shows the following spend for those years:
	
		
			  Financial year  HM Treasury legal spend (£) 
			 2007-08 10,660,950 
			 2008-09 23,100,900 
			 2009-10 (1)20,850,000 
			 (1) Using OEP methodology. 
		
	
	These figures include spend on both internal and external legal services. A substantial portion of the latter was expended in connection with HM Treasury's interventions in the financial sector and has been recovered from the institutions concerned, so the figures do not reflect the net cost to HM Treasury. It is not possible to distinguish advice from other legal services such as litigation.
	The increase in expenditure between 2007-08 and 2008-09 was due to the increased legal work required to enable the Treasury to respond to the financial crisis. The slight decrease between 2008-09 and 2009-10 reflects the changing nature and level of the interventions required.

Departmental Redundancy Pay

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what severance payment was made to each  (a) Minister and  (b) special adviser in his Department who left office after the last general election.

Justine Greening: For information on severance payments made to Ministers, I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 5 July 2010,  Official Report, column 55W to the hon. Member for Perth and North Perthshire (Pete Wishart). Information on salary levels for Ministers and other Government officers paid through the Treasury payroll are published in the Treasury Group's annual Resource Accounts, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.
	In line with previous administrations, the Prime Minister will issue a written ministerial statement annually on the total cost of special advisers. The total cost of severance paid out to special advisers who left office after the last general election will therefore be published in due course.

Departmental Sick Leave

Mike Freer: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many days on average his Department's staff in each pay grade were absent from work as a result of ill health in 2009-10.

Justine Greening: The following table lists the average working days lost per grade for HM Treasury employees due to sick absence in 2009-10.
	
		
			  Grade  Average working days lost per employee 
			 B 8.2 
			 C 6.5 
			 D 2.9 
			 E 2.5 
			 SCS 0.6 
			 Average for Department 3.6

Departmental Utilities

Graham Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on (i) electricity, (ii) water, (iii) heating and (iv) telephone services in each year since 1997.

Justine Greening: The available information is shown in the following tables:
	
		
			  HM Treasury 
			  £000 
			   Electricity  Water  Heating  Telephones 
			 2002-03 288 15 n/a 1,667 
			 2003-04 260 19 n/a 1,437 
			 2004-05 332 13 n/a 1,924 
			 2005-06 431 22 311 1,636 
			 2006-07 398 34 311 1,376 
			 2007-08 1,000 40 246 2,102 
			 2008-09 908 24 234 2,031 
			 2009-10 855 50 250 2,160 
		
	
	Information prior to 2002-03 is not available due to the introduction of a new accounting system at that time.
	The large increase in 2007-08 electricity charges was due to the introduction of Grouped Shared Services for HM Treasury and the Office of Government Commerce which resulted in HM Treasury assuming responsibility for an additional three buildings.
	Data on heating prior to 2005-06 are not available.
	The figure for 2007-08 included costs associated with Trevelyan House that was vacated in that year. The figures for 2007-08 and 2008-09 have been adjusted for a large accrual reversal in 2008-09 relating to 2007-08. Additionally, the figure for 2009-10 includes elements for service charges relating to the two previous years that cannot be disaggregated.
	The large increase in telephone charges between 2006-07 and 2007-08 was due to the introduction of Grouped Shared Services for HM Treasury and the Office of Government Commerce.
	
		
			  Debt Management Office 
			  £000 
			   Electricity  Water  Heating  Telephones 
			 2002-03 32 n/a n/a 111 
			 2003-04 26 n/a n/a 155 
			 2004-05 39 n/a n/a 166 
			 2005-06 46 n/a n/a 146 
			 2006-07 65 n/a n/a 185 
			 2007-08 56 n/a n/a 172 
			 2008-09 45 n/a n/a 176 
			 2009-10 64 n/a n/a 226 
		
	
	Information prior to 2002-03 is not available due to the introduction of a new accounting system at that time.
	Spending on electricity covers the direct usage for the floors leased by DMO and a share of the common areas within the building. Electricity consumption for office space that is sub-leased by the DMO is recovered as income from the occupier.
	Spending on water consumption and heating is aggregated into the quarterly service charge invoice and is not separately identifiable from DMO accounting records.
	
		
			  Asset Protection Agency 
			  £000 
			   Electricity  Water  Heating  Telephones 
			 2009-10 n/a 2 n/a 6 
		
	
	The APA was formed in December 2009. Spending on electricity and heating is paid by DMO and recharged as part of the quarterly service charge and is not separately identifiable.
	There was no relevant spending by the Royal Mint Advisory Committee during the period in question.

EU Budget

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the outcome was of the discussions on the draft EU Budget for 2011 between the Economic Secretary to the Treasury and her counterparts in Brussels on 14 October 2010.

Justine Greening: In meetings with Members of the European Parliament, the Belgian presidency, Commissioner Semeta and other senior Commission representatives, I strongly argued the UK's case for a cash freeze: at a time of deep fiscal consolidation in member states, the Commission's proposed increase in the 2011 EU budget of 5.8% is simply not acceptable. I explained that the UK Government will continue to engage constructively in these negotiations, but are absolutely committed to seeing this increase reduced; and that the House of Commons had supported the Government's goals on 13 October. I urged Members of the European Parliament to vote against a budget increase on 20 October.
	Negotiations on the 2011 EU budget are ongoing. I have made the UK Government's position and aims very clear to interlocutors at the EU level.

Excise Duties: Liquefied Petroleum Gas

William Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on the duty derogation applicable to liquid petroleum gas  (a) until 2014 and  (b) in subsequent years.

Justine Greening: The fuel duty rate on an energy equivalent amount of liquefied petroleum gas for road use is set by reference to the main rate of fuel duty on a litre of petrol. A differential currently equivalent to a 35.79 pence per litre reduction in duty came into effect in April.
	Under plans inherited by the Government the differential is set to reduce by the equivalent of 1p per litre each year from 2011 to 2014. Other uses of liquefied petroleum gas remain exempt from fuel duty. The Chancellor keeps all taxes under review.

Financial Services Authority: Fees and Charges

Simon Kirby: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effects on small insurance companies of the Financial Services Authority's new fee structure; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Hoban: The matter concerned is the responsibility of the Financial Services Authority (FSA), whose day-to-day operations are independent from Government control and influence. I have asked the FSA to write to the hon. Member on the issue he raises.

Financial Services: Regulation

Alun Cairns: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the financial services industry on the regulation of financial advisers.

Mark Hoban: The regulation of financial advisers is the responsibility of the Financial Services Authority (FSA), an independent body.
	Treasury Ministers and officials have discussions with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such discussion.

Land Use

Simon Hart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what mechanisms are in place to assist people who have been affected by fraudulent land banking schemes.

Mark Hoban: Where land banking schemes fail within the definition of a Collective Investment Scheme in section 235 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, they can only be established, operated or wound up with authorisation by the Financial Services Authority (FSA).
	The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) deals with complaints from consumers against firms that are regulated by the FSA and can require firms to pay compensation. The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) can pay compensation to consumers with claims against firms that are regulated by the FSA and financially unable (or likely to be unable) to pay the claim themselves.
	Where a firm operating a land banking scheme is not regulated by the FSA, its customers will not have access to redress through the FOS and the FSCS.

Loans: Interest Rates

Chris Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce a cap on the annual percentage rate that commercial companies can charge customers on unsecured loans.

Edward Davey: I have been asked to reply.
	I recently announced a joint BIS and HM Treasury review of consumer credit and personal insolvency and this Department issued a formal call for evidence on 15 October. Government have previously committed to give regulators the power to define and ban excessive interest rates on credit and store cards and our review will provide a framework for this, as well as other coalition commitments, to be considered.
	The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) recently considered the possible introduction of price controls on interest rates on products such as pawnbroking, payday loans and home collected credit as part of its review of high cost consumer finance products. The review concluded that price controls would not be a suitable solution to the concerns the OFT identified. The OFT made a number of recommendations aimed at improving the market for consumers and these are also being considered as part of the review.

Personal Income

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost of recording the household income of all households with children in  (a) 2009-10,  (b) 2010-11 and  (c) 2011-12.

David Gauke: The information is not available in the format requested. HM Revenue and Customs does not hold income information for all households with children.

Public Expenditure

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to publish equality impact assessments undertaken by his Department as part of the comprehensive spending review; and if he will make a statement.

Danny Alexander: holding answer 20 October 2010
	 On 20 October 2010 the Treasury published an overview of the impact of the spending review on groups protected by equalities legislation.
	However, the Treasury does not dictate the details of how other Departments will live within their settlements-this will be for Departments to decide themselves. Other Government Departments will ensure that equality considerations are taken into account when these decisions are made. Decisions about the publication of equality impact assessments are also for individual Departments to make.
	With regard to its own spending, the Treasury will ensure that equalities are taken into account as policies are developed following the spending review, in line with its legal obligations.

Revenue and Customs: Retford

John Mann: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many tax office staff are located in Retford; how many such staff there will be in October 2013; how many there were in October 2007; and if he will make a statement.

David Gauke: The number of staff located in the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) office at Kings Park house, Retford, in October 2007 and October 2010 is shown in the following table. As announced in 2008, as part of HMRC's Regional Review Programme, HMRC is withdrawing from Kings Park house in 2010-11 and there will be no back office staff in Retford in October 2013. Inquiry centre services will still be available for customers in Retford who need that level of support but the way these services are provided may change and the staffing provision has not yet been decided.
	
		
			  HMRC staff in King's Park house, Retford 
			  As at 1 Octobe r  FTE( 1)  HC( 2) 
			 2007 37.18 40 
			 2010 3.00 3 
			 (1) FTE = Full-time equivalent. This is the equivalent number of full-time posts. (2) HC = Headcount. This is the total number of staff working in the organisation, irrespective of working patterns.

Tax Evasion

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has made an estimate of the likely cost to the Exchequer of tax evasion by  (a) large businesses,  (b) small and medium-sized enterprises and  (c) individuals in the next (i) 12 months and (ii) five years.

David Gauke: No such estimates have been made.
	HMRC published the latest available estimates of the tax gap in September 2010 in 'Measuring Tax Gaps 2010', available at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/measuring-tax-gaps-2010.htm.pdf

Taxation

Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has made an assessment of the combined effects of the VAT rise and changes in the personal tax allowance on those  (a) under and  (b) over the age of 65 years.

David Gauke: At the June Budget this Government showed their commitment to transparency by publishing more detailed distributional analysis of the impacts of their policies than has ever been done before. Charts A1-A4 in the June Budget show the impacts of tax, tax credit and benefit changes, including increases to the personal allowance and changes to VAT, and are available at:
	www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/junebudget_annexa.pdf
	This analysis shows that the impact by 2012-13 of measures that can be robustly assessed is progressive.
	The Government are committed to providing fair support to all groups. The June Budget announced particular measures to help pensioners, including uprating the basic state pension in April 2011 by at least the equivalent of the retail price index.

Taxation: Domicil

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many  (a) companies and  (b) individuals have moved their tax domicile offshore in the last five months; and what estimate he has made of the consequent loss of revenue to the Exchequer through corporation tax.

David Gauke: Information on the number of companies and individuals that have moved their tax domicile in the last five months together with an estimate of the consequent loss of revenue to the Exchequer is not available.

VAT: Tax Rates and Bands

Chris Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent estimate he has made of the  (a) administrative cost to and  (b) change in the level of business for the retail industry of the proposed increase in the rate of VAT to 20 per cent.

David Gauke: The information requested is as follows:
	 (a) The impact assessment published at June 2010 Budget provides information on compliance costs to businesses of the increase of VAT to 20% in January 2010 and available at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/junebudget_ impact_assessments.pdf
	Compliance costs information is not available at industrial sector level.
	 (b) The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), and I have asked the OBR to reply.
	 Letter from Robert Chote, dated 25 October 2010:
	As Chair of the Budget Responsibility Committee of the Office for Budget Responsibility, I have been asked to reply to your recent question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent estimate he has made of (b) change in the level of business for the retail industry of the proposed increase in the rate of VAT to 20 per cent. 18523
	The interim OBR's June 2010 Budget forecast incorporated the estimated impact of policy measures announced at or before the Budget, including the increase in the standard rate of VAT from 17.5 per cent to 20 per cent that will take effect from 4 January 2011.
	The interim OBR applied a range of fiscal multipliers to help inform its judgement on the overall impact of the June Budget measures on aggregate demand in the economy. These multipliers are set out in Table C8 of the June Budget document. A figure of 0.8, for example, means that a measure which has a direct effect of raising revenue by 1 per cent of GDP is estimated to reduce aggregate demand in the economy by 0.8 per cent in the short run.
	For the June Budget the interim OBR applied a fiscal multiplier of 0.35 for the impact of the change in the VAT rate. The estimated impact of the increase in VAT on real GDP has not yet been published. In accordance with our publication procedure (which is available on our website at
	http://budgetresponsibility.independent.gov.uk/d/release_policy.pdf)
	we will release this information on 18 November 2010, at 11am. This information will be published on the OBR website, and copies of all published material will be made available to Parliament.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Anthony Bates

Marcus Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the Child Support Agency's (CSA) management of the child maintenance case of Mr Anthony Bates of Nuneaton; for what reasons the case remains unresolved after three years; for what reasons the CSA wrote to Mr Bates on  (a) 11 May and  (b) 15 May 2010; and what recent assessment he has made of the CSA's overall performance in managing child maintenance cases.

Maria Miller: The Child Support Agency has improved its performance over the last few years against its objectives. This can be seen in the latest quarterly summary of statistics published on 28 July 2010:
	http://www.childmaintenance.org/en/publications/stats0610.html
	The objectives set by Government for the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission, which has responsibility for the Child Support Agency, are set out in its business plan for 20010/11:
	http://www.childmaintenance.org/en/pdf/Business-Plan-2010.pdf
	Despite progress being made there remain important issues that need to be addressed to improve the service that the Child Support Agency is able to deliver.
	It is a priority to ensure that an effective child maintenance system is available to families as part of the Government's commitment to supporting shared parenting and promoting parental responsibility. These issues are being considered with the management of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission and in light of the spending review.
	The details about individual cases are confidential so I have asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner, who is responsible for the child maintenance system, to write to the hon. Member separately about the case of his constituent.

Children: Maintenance

Nick Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in respect of how many children the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission has collected maintenance payments through  (a) the statutory arrangement and  (b) private arrangements since 1 April 2010.

Maria Miller: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested and I have seen the response.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner.
	.
	The number of children benefiting from maintenance through the statutory maintenance service is routinely published in the Child Support Agency Quarterly Summary of Statistics which is available in the House of Commons library or online at:
	http://www.childmaintenance.org/en/publications/stats0610.html
	As of June 2010, 849,100 children were benefiting from maintenance payments. Maintenance was collected through the Child Support Agency collection service as well as through maintenance direct arrangements set up by the Child Support Agency where non-resident parents pay parents with care directly.
	The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission does not hold a register of private arrangements nor does it collect the maintenance payments for them as these arrangements are genuinely private.
	However, the Commission estimates that by the end of March 2010 an additional 60,000 children were benefiting from maintenance payments via private arrangements following contact with the Commission's Child Maintenance Options Service.

Departmental Sick Leave

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for how many days on average his Department's staff in each pay grade were absent from work as a result of ill health in 2009-10.

Chris Grayling: The number of days on average Department staff in each pay grade were absent from work as a result of ill-health in 2009-10, as reported by the Department's personnel computer, is recorded in the following table.
	
		
			  Staff  p ay  g rade  Average  d ays 
			 Administrative Assistant 9.9 
			 Administrative Officer 10.1 
			 Executive Officer 7.7 
			 Higher Executive Officer 4.9 
			 Senior Executive Officer 4.0 
			 Grade 7 3.4 
			 Grade 6 2.9 
			 Senior Civil Service 2.2 
			 All pay grades 8.5 
		
	
	The Department has cut average sickness absence by 25% from 11.1 to 8.4 days between March 2007 and September 2010. It is committed to further reducing sickness absence to below its Departmental target of 7.7 days.

Departmental Sick Leave

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many officials in his Department have had  (a) fewer than five days,  (b) five to 10 days,  (c) 10 to 15 days,  (d) 15 to 20 days,  (e) 20 to 25 days,  (f) 25 to 50 days,  (g) 50 to 75 days,  (h) 75 to 100 days,  (i) 100 to 150 days,  (j) 150 to 200 days,  (k) more than 200 days,  (l) more than three months,  (m) more than six months and  (n) one year on paid sick leave (i) consecutively and (ii) in total in each year since 1997.

Chris Grayling: The information requested is not available in the required format and could only be provided at disproportionate costs. The Department has cut average sickness absence by 25% from 11.1 to 8.4 days between March 2007 and September 2010. It is committed to further reducing sickness absence to below its Departmental target of 7.7 days.

Disability Living Allowance

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what arrangements he plans to put in place for the medical assessments to be introduced for all disability living allowance claimants from 2013-14; how such assessments will differ from those undertaken under current arrangements; and whether the new assessments will use the current A-Z of Medical Conditions as guidance.

Maria Miller: The Chancellor announced in the Emergency Budget that the Government will introduce a new assessment for DLA from 2013-14. The new assessment will be transparent, objective, fair and will be based on identifying the barriers disabled people have to overcome to participate in society and live more independent lives.
	The Department is currently in the process of developing options for the new assessment in consultation with an independent group of specialists comprising of disability organisations, relevant health professionals and others with expertise in this area. This process will consider the nature of the assessment and what evidence will be required to support the new assessment and how that evidence will be gathered and used. At this stage in the development process the role of Customer Case Management (CCM) Guidance has not been determined.
	To ensure that all organisations and individuals with an interest in this area have the opportunity to contribute their views on this reform, we will be holding a public consultation on the new proposals in autumn this year.

Employers' Liability: Insurance

Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he plans to respond to his Department's consultation on an employer's liability insurance bureau.

Chris Grayling: The public consultation closed on 5 May 2010. We are currently considering the replies we received and we will publish our response to the consultation in due course.

Employment and Support Allowance

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what correspondence he received from the Chancellor of the Exchequer on future reductions in spending on employment and support allowance between April 2011 and March 2015; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on future budgetary allocations for benefits in advance of the Spending Review; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: We are looking at a range of options for Welfare Reform, discussions continue and decisions on allocations will be made in the overall context of the spending review.

Employment Schemes: Dartford

Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Dartford constituency participated in  (a) a community taskforce and  (b) work-focused training programme in the last 12 months.

Chris Grayling: Within the constituency of Dartford between November 2009 and the end of July 2010:
	(a) 20 people started the Community Task Force;
	(b) 10 people started the Young Person's Guarantee Work Focussed Training and 20 people started Routes into Work Pre-Employment Training.
	 Note
	Published official statistics are only currently available up until the end of July 2010.

Employment Schemes: Disability

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people he expects to have participated in the Work Choice programme by 2015.

Maria Miller: We expect around 79,000 people to have access to the Work Choice programme by 2015.

Employment Schemes: Peterborough

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the Answer of 13 October 2010, Official Report, column 338W, on employment schemes: Peterborough, how many people in Peterborough constituency completed  (a) Community Task Force,  (b) Routes Into Work and  (c) Young Person's Guarantee Work Focused training programmes the latest period for which figures are available.

Chris Grayling: Statistics on the numbers of completers is not available.
	In the constituency of Peterborough and up to the end of July 2010:
	(a) 90 people started the Community Task Force;
	(b) 20 people started Routes into Work Pre-Employment Training; and
	(c) 30 people started Young Person's Guarantee Work Focussed Training.
	 Note
	Published official statistics are only currently available up until the end of July 2010.

Employment Schemes: Young People

Ian Swales: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which programmes sponsored by his Department are designed to assist young people into employment in Redcar constituency.

Chris Grayling: Young people in Redcar have access to a range of programmes designed to help them into employment. These provide jobsearch skills, temporary employment, help to become self employed, work experience and volunteering to improve employablility. Where people remain unemployed after 12 months, they enter Flexible New Deal.
	Unemployment amongst Britain's youth is unacceptably high and this range of programmes is confusing. For these reasons, we will introduce a new single work programme in the first half of 2010. This will offer young people targeted personalised help and will be delivered through the best of private and voluntary sector providers. In the meantime we will ensure young people continue to have access to employment support prior to the implementation of the work programme.

EU Law

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he made of the cost to his Department and its non-departmental public bodies of compliance with  (a) domestic,  (b) European and  (c) other international human rights requirements in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: The Department for Work and Pensions and its non-departmental public bodies do not collate information on the costs of compliance with human rights requirements. The Department and its non-departmental public bodies take account of the domestic and international human rights framework in developing all their policies and practices, as they do other relevant legal obligations. An accurate estimate of the total cost of compliance with human rights obligations could not be made without incurring disproportionate cost.

Housing Benefit

Gregg McClymont: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what his Department's most recent estimate is of the number of low-income working households in receipt of housing benefit;
	(2)  what his Department's most recent estimate is of the number of low income working households receiving housing benefit in Scotland.

Steve Webb: The most common measure of low income used is based on a threshold of an income below 60% of contemporary median income, adjusted to take account of family size and composition.
	Of the estimated 700,000 households where someone is in work and recorded receipt of housing benefit, the number of households with income below 60% of median equivalised household income in 2008/09 was 200,000 (30%) Before Housing Costs and 400,000 (54%) After Housing Costs.
	The number of households in Scotland where someone is in work and recorded receipt of housing benefit is less than 50,000.
	 Notes:
	1. These statistics are based on Households Below Average (HBAI) Income data sourced from the 2008/09 Family Resources Survey (FRS). This uses disposable household income, adjusted using modified OECD equivalisation factors for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living.
	2. Figures have been presented on both a Before Housing Cost and After Housing Cost basis. For Before Housing Cost, housing costs (such as rent, water rates, mortgage interest payments, structural insurance payments and ground rent and service charges) are not deducted from income, while for After Housing Cost they are.
	3. The Family Resources Survey is known to under-record some benefit receipt so the estimates presented should be treated with caution.
	4. Estimates from the Family Resources Survey are presented rounded to the nearest 100,000 households. If the figure is less than 50,000, this would be rounded down to zero, so instead such figures are presented as "less than 50,000" or "negligible".
	5. A working household has been defined as a household where at least one adult is in work.

Industrial Injuries

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what  (a) monitoring and  (b) investigations his Department undertakes in respect of compliance with the provisions of the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995.

Chris Grayling: The information is as follows:
	 ( a) HSE monitors compliance rates with RIDDOR through annual questions in the Labour Force Survey that is organised by the Office for National Statistics. This figure is published annually by HSE as part of the national workplace health and safety statistics. For 2008/09, the compliance rate was estimated at 58% for non-fatal injuries.
	 ( b) HSE may investigate compliance with RIDDOR where a complaint is made that a reportable incident has not been investigated or where information of non-reporting comes to light during the course of other interventions such as a proactive inspection. Decisions on whether to investigate are guided by HSE's Enforcement Policy Statement and take into account factors such as the likely seriousness of any breach of the law, relevant information about the dutyholder's past performance and HSE enforcement priorities.
	HSE operational databases do not record investigations into failures to report injuries, cases of ill-health and dangerous occurrences under RIDDOR as discrete items and consequently figures for the numbers of investigations are not readily available and may only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.

Jobseeker's Allowance: Pendle

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to assist residents in Pendle constituency who are in receipt of jobseeker's allowance to enter employment.

Chris Grayling: The Government aims to introduce a new national Work Programme by summer 2011. This will be an integrated package of support providing personalised help to a wide range of customers-from jobseeker's allowance recipients who have been out of work for some time, to customers who may previously have been receiving incapacity benefits for many years.
	Alongside the Work Programme we will deliver a more flexible advisory service in Jobcentre Plus, giving local offices more control and allowing them to deliver in a way that is responsive to local needs.
	To get Britain working we also need to harness a wide range of talent, ideas and good practice with help from business, the public and voluntary sector and local deliverers of services.
	We recently launched Work Clubs as a way of encouraging people who are out of work to exchange skills and share experiences; and Work Together as a way of developing work skills through volunteering. We also announced that we will introduce a New Enterprise Allowance which will support unemployed people who wish to move off benefits into self employment.
	We are developing further options to encourage pre-employment training and work placements through Service Academies and greater insight into the world of work through Work Experience.

KPMG

David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the monetary value is of his Department's contracts with KPMG; and what the monetary value is of each such contract entered into since his appointment.

Chris Grayling: We currently have two contracts with KPMG, one for £100,000 and one Pro-Bono contract which attracted a nominal consideration of £1.
	The monetary value of each contract entered into since the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions appointment is £100,001.

Motability

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent assessment he has made of the value for money of the Motability scheme.

Maria Miller: Independent analysis commissioned by Motability indicates that the Car Scheme is typically 35% cheaper on a like-for-like basis then other lease providers for the same models, reflecting the Scheme's economies of scale and the significant discounts it is able to negotiate as a result.
	At present, the Motability Scheme has over 300 models available which can be leased by a disabled person using the Higher Rate Mobility Component of their Disability Living Allowance (currently £49.85 per week). Motability provides regular updates to the Department and continues to work with vehicle manufacturers and other business partners to deliver the best possible value for its disabled customers.

National Insurance Contributions: Females

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps Jobcentre Plus takes to assist women who do not have a full national insurance contribution record to re-enter the workplace.

Chris Grayling: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Darra Singh. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Darra Singh:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking what steps Jobcentre Plus takes to assist women who do not have a full national insurance contribution record to re-enter the work place. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	Jobcentre Plus does not differentiate the support given to customers by way of their gender or national insurance contribution record. Customers wishing to re-enter the workplace can benefit from a range of help, including advice on jobsearch techniques, signposting to appropriate job-search channels, skills training and help with costs associated with returning to work. However, eligibility for these services is often dependant on the customer's circumstances, including the benefits they receive and the length of time they have been unemployed.
	As a minimum, all customers have access to an extensive database of job vacancies and can access jobsearch support material either from their local Jobcentre or on-line via the DirectGov website.
	Jobcentre Plus Personal Advisers provide support to customers, and partners of customers who are claiming a benefit, administered by Jobcentre Plus, or who are receiving Pension Credit. Personal Advisers work with each customer to agree a personalised return to work plan. This may include participation in one, or more, of our employment and training initiatives, providing help such as support with developing a CV, confidence building, work trials, or work-focused training.

National Insurance: Foreign Nationals

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many national insurance numbers were issued to  (a) non-UK EU nationals and  (b) nationals of each non-EU state in each of the last eight quarters for which figures are available.

Chris Grayling: The information requested has been placed in the Library of both Houses.

Nottinghamshire

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many  (a) staff of Jobcentre Plus and  (b) other staff of his Department were based in (i) Retford and (ii) Worksop on (A) 1 October 2007 and (B) the most recent date for which figures are available; and how many such staff he expects to be based at those locations on 1 October 2013.

Chris Grayling: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Darra Singh. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Darra Singh:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking how many a) staff of Jobcentre Plus and b) other staff at his Department were based in i) Retford and ii) Worksop on a) 1 October 2007 and b) the most recent date for which figures are available; and how many such staff he expects to be based at those locations on 1 October 2013. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	The information in the following table is set out in full-time equivalents.
	
		
			   October 2007  June 2010 
			 Retford Jobcentre Plus 14 22 
			 Worksop Jobcentre Plus 47 51 
			 Worksop (other Department staff) 7 3 
			  Source: Dataview 
		
	
	Jobcentre Plus continues to monitor workloads and as part of that, staffing levels are reviewed on a regular basis. However, staffing and spending plans for the business will be dependent on the levels announced in the Spending Review settlement set out by HM Treasury. Until we have worked through the detail of this, we are unable to give estimates of staffing levels for October 2013.

Occupational Pensions

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of  (a) women and  (b) people in black and minority ethnic groups who would be exempted from the auto-enrolment into a workplace pension scheme if the level of qualifying earnings were increased to (i) £6,000, (ii) £7,000, (iii) £8,000, (iv) £9,000, (v) £10,000, (vi) £11,000 and (vii) £12,000.

Steve Webb: People are not saving enough for their retirement. The coalition agreement therefore makes clear the Government's commitment to introducing automatic enrolment into a workplace pension. We believe that this will bring about a step-change in the number of people saving for their retirement.
	The Pensions Act 2008 provides that, from 2012, workers between the age of 22 and State Pension Age, with annual earnings in at least one job of more than £5,035 (2006 earnings terms) will be eligible for automatic enrolment into a qualifying pension scheme, unless they are already participating in such a scheme.
	Our analysis indicates that around 10-11 million people will be eligible for automatic enrolment in a workplace pension scheme from 2012. That's why automatic enrolment is so important, but it's crucial that we get the detail right. So we instigated the Making Automatic Enrolment Review to ensure that automatic enrolment is implemented in the most effective way.
	An estimate of the numbers of  (a) women, and  (b) people in black and minority ethnic groups who would no longer be eligible to be automatically enrolled into a workplace pension consequent on the qualifying level of earnings being increased to (i) £6,000, (ii) £7,000, (iii) £8,000, (iv) £9,000, (v) £10,000, (vi) £11,000 and (vii) £12,000 in 2006 earnings terms are provided in the following tables. The figures are rounded to the nearest 500,000 because they are unlikely to be reliable below that level. The tables therefore include an additional column, showing the composition of the resultant eligible group.
	
		
			  Table A: Women 
			   Number of additional women excluded  Composition of resultant eligible group  (% women) 
			 (i) £6,000 Less than 0.5 million 38 
			 (ii) £7,000 Around 0.5 million 37 
			 (iii) £8,000 0.5 to 1 million 36 
			 (iv) £9,000 Around 1 million 35 
			 (v) £10,000 1 to 1.5 million 34 
			 (vi) £11,000 1.5 to 2 million 33 
			 (vii) £12,000 Around 2 million 32 
			  Note: Ranges are rounded to the nearest 500,000. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table B: People from Black and minority ethnic communities 
			   Number of additional people from BME communities excluded  Composition of resultant eligible group (% BME) 
			 (i) £6,000 Less than 0.5 million 12 
			 (ii) £7,000 Less than 0.5 million 12 
			 (iii) £8,000 Less than 0.5 million 12 
			 (iv) £9,000 Less than 0.5 million 12 
			 (v) £10,000 Less than 0.5 million 12 
			 (vi) £11,000 Less than 0.5 million 12 
			 (vii) £12,000 Less than 0.5 million 12 
			  Note: Ranges are rounded to the nearest 500,000

Occupational Pensions

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people who would be excluded from the requirement to pay into a workplace pension in circumstances in which the qualifying level of earnings, in 2006 earnings terms, was  (a) £5,035,  (b) £6,000,  (c) £7,000,  (d) £8,000,  (e) £9,000,  (f) £10,000,  (g) £11,000 and  (h) £12,000.

Steve Webb: People are not saving enough for their retirement. The coalition agreement therefore makes clear the Governments commitment to introducing automatic enrolment into a workplace pension. We believe that this will bring about a step-change in the number of people saving for their retirement.
	The Pensions Act 2008 provides that, from 2012, workers between the age of 22 and State Pension Age, with annual earnings in at least one job of more than £5,035 (2006 earnings terms) will be eligible for automatic enrolment into a qualifying pension scheme, unless they are already participating in such a scheme.
	This will not place a requirement on employees to pay into a workplace pension scheme. They will be able to opt out of the workplace pension scheme, and in some cases the employer may contribute more than the minimum, reducing or even eliminating the need for an employee contribution.
	Our analysis indicates that around 10-11 million people will be eligible for automatic enrolment in a workplace pension scheme from 2012. That's why automatic enrolment is so important, but it's crucial we get the detail right. So we instigated the Making Automatic Enrolment Review to ensure that automatic enrolment is implemented in the most effective way.
	An estimate of the numbers of people who would not be automatically enrolled into a workplace pension consequent on the qualifying level of earnings being increased to £6,000, £7,000, £8,000, £9,000, £10,000, £11,000, and £12,000 in 2006 earnings terms is provided in the following table.
	
		
			   Number of additional people who would be excluded from automatic enrolment 
			 £5,035 0 
			 £6,000 Less than 0.5 million 
			 £7,000 0.5 to 1 million 
			 £8,000 1 to 1.5 million 
			 £9,000 1 to 1.5 million 
			 £10,000 1.5 to 2 million 
			 £11,000 2 to 2.5 million 
			 £12,000 2.5 to 3 million 
			  Note:  Ranges are rounded to the nearest 500,000

Occupational Pensions

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the likely effect of the introduction of a three-month waiting period before auto-enrolment into a workplace pension scheme on  (a) the level of pension provision for (i) temporary and agency workers and (ii) all employees and  (b) the number of people choosing to opt out of such a scheme.

Steve Webb: People are not saving enough for their retirement. The coalition agreement therefore makes clear the Government's commitment to introducing automatic enrolment into a workplace pension. We believe that this will bring about a step-change in the number of people saving for their retirement.
	The Pensions Act 2008 provides that, from 2012, workers between the age of 22 and State Pension Age, with annual earnings in at least one job of more than £5,035 (2006 earnings terms) will be eligible for automatic enrolment into a qualifying pension scheme, unless they are already participating in such a scheme.
	Our analysis indicates that around 10-11 million people will be eligible for automatic enrolment in a workplace pension scheme from 2012. That's why automatic enrolment is so important, but it's crucial that we get the detail right. So we instigated the Making Automatic Enrolment Review to ensure that automatic enrolment is implemented in the most effective way.
	We estimate that the introduction of a three month Waiting Period would reduce the total number of people eligible for automatic enrolment by around 500,000 at any particular point in time. Of course, many of these people would go on to be automatically enrolled after three months.
	Analysis of the 2007 Labour Force Survey indicates that 22 percent of those in the eligible group, and in employment for less than three months, are employed through an agency. This compares to 14 percent of the total eligible group who are employed through an agency. Thus, we estimate that the introduction of a three- month waiting period will exclude around 110,000 people employed through an agency from the eligible group for automatic enrolment.
	There is little direct evidence of the effect of waiting periods on the likelihood of an individual choosing to opt-out following automatic enrolment, and it is very difficult to estimate the likely impact. What evidence there is from the United States, where schemes already operate waiting periods of up to 12 months, shows that take up rates are still high and waiting periods do not seem to adversely affect opt-out rates.
	Our assumptions of the numbers of people who will opt out of automatic enrolment into a qualifying pension scheme is based on analysis of the Department for Work and Pension's 2009 survey of individual's attitudes and likely response to the workplace pension reforms. These rates are not dependent on the length of time an individual has been in employment, and therefore do not change as a result of introducing a 3 month waiting period.

Pensions

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent consideration he has given to the adequacy of pension providers' management of environmental, social and governance risks.

Steve Webb: The Government fully support the highest standards of corporate governance and ethical behaviour and considers such high standards can contribute to better company performance by helping a board discharge its duties in the best interests of shareholders. The Government continue to keep under review the role of pension scheme trustees in the governance process and, in particular, the adequacy of the rules that apply to the investment of scheme funds.

Post Office Card Account

Gregg McClymont: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the monetary value of pensions and benefits payments that have been transferred from his Department to holders of the Post Office card account in each week of the most recent 12 month period for which figures are available; and what estimate he made of the proportion of such payments attributable to  (a) state pension payments and  (b) benefits other than the state pension.

Steve Webb: The information is not available in the requested format. The following table provides details for each month during the 12 month period October 2009 to September 2010.
	
		
			   2009  2010 
			   Oct  Nov  Dec  Jan  Feb  March  April  May  June  July  Aug  Sept 
			 Total DWP payments into POca (£ billion) 1.66 2.17 2.10 1.47 1.58 1.90 1.87 1.57 1.67 1.62 1.84 1.63 
			 State Pension payments  (£ billion) 0.75 0.96 1.06 0.58 0.72 0.88 0.89 0.73 0.74 0.74 0.88 0.73 
			 State Pension % 45.26 44.31 50.64 39.46 45.92 46.36 47.69 46.26 44.58 45.65 47.90 44.90 
			 Non-State Pension benefits  (£ billion) 0.91 1.21 1.04 0.89 0.85 1.02 0.98 0.85 0.92 0.88 0.96 0.90 
			 Non-State Pension % 54.74 55.69 49.36 60.54 54.08 53.64 52.31 53.74 55.42 54.35 52.10 55.10

Post Office Card Account

Gregg McClymont: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many Post Office card accounts were closed in each month of the most recent 12 month period for which figures are available; and what proportion of those accounts had been used to enable the account holder to receive  (a) the state pension and  (b) benefits other than the state pension;
	(2)  how many new Post Office card accounts were opened in each month of the most recent 12 month period for which figures are available; and what proportion of those accounts has been opened to enable the account holder to receive  (a) the state pension and  (b) benefits other than the state pension.

Steve Webb: Information about the proportion of accounts used for  (a) State Pension and  (b) benefits other than the State Pension is not available in the requested format. The following table provides details of the number of Post Office card accounts opened and closed during the 12 month period October 2009 to September 2010.
	
		
			   2009  2010 
			   Oct  Nov  Dec  Jan  Feb  March  April  May  June  July  Aug  Sept 
			  POcas 
			 Opened 14,289 15,043 12,908 10,404 16,100 12,118 8,264 9,036 8,668 10,059 8,853 9,756 
			 Closed 30,751 26,389 26,217 57,710 53,437 61,673 61,978 50,094 54,081 56,679 37,993 38,573

Poverty: Redcar

Ian Swales: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what proportion of  (a) people,  (b) children and  (c) pensioners in Redcar constituency were living in poverty in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how many children were living in relative poverty in Redcar constituency in each year since 1997.

Maria Miller: Estimates of the number and proportion of people, children and pensioners living in relative poverty across the UK are published in Households Below Average Income (HBAI). This uses household income adjusted (or 'equivalised') for household size using various thresholds of low income. As they are based on survey data, poverty estimates published in HBAI only allow breakdowns to Government office region and analysis by parliamentary constituency is not possible. However, figures for the North East Government office region are set out in Table 1, 2 and 3.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number in millions and percentage of people in relative poverty in the North East of England, Before Housing Costs (BHC) and After Housing Costs (AHC) 
			  Million (and %) of individuals 
			   Relative poverty 
			  Period  BHC  AHC 
			 1997-98 to 1999-2000 0.6 (26%) 0.8 (30%) 
			 1998-99 to 2000-01 0.6 (26%) 0.7 (29%) 
			 1999-2000 to 2001-02 0.6 (24%) 0.7 (27%) 
			 2000-01 to 2002-03 0.6 (23%) 0.7 (26%) 
			 2001-02 to 2003-04 0.6 (22%) 0.6 (24%) 
			 2002-03 to 2004-05 0.6 (22%) 0.6 (24%) 
			 2003-04 to 2005-06 0.5 (21%) 0.6 (23%) 
			 2004-05 to 2006-07 0.5 (21%) 0.6 (23%) 
			 2005-06 to 2007-08 0.5 (21%) 0.6 (24%) 
			 2006-07 to 2008-09 0.6 (22%) 0.6 (25%) 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Number in millions and percentage of children living in relative poverty in the North East of England, Before Housing Costs (BHC) 
			   Million (and %) of children 
			  Period  Relative poverty-BHC 
			 1997-98 to 1999-2000 0.2 (34%) 
			 1998-99 to 2000-01 0.2 (34%) 
			 1999-2000 to 2001-02 0.2 (30%) 
			 2000-01 to 2002-03 0.2 (32%) 
			 2001-02 to 2003-04 0.2 (30%) 
			 2002-03 to 2004-05 0.2 (31%) 
			 2003-04 to 2005-06 0.2 (28%) 
			 2004-05 to 2006-07 0.2 (28%) 
			 2005-06 to 2007-08 0.1 (28%) 
			 2006-07 to 2008-09 0.1 (28%) 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: Number in millions and percentage of pensioners living in relative poverty in the North East of England, After Housing Costs (AHC) 
			   Million (and %) of pensioners 
			  Period  Relative poverty-AHC 
			 1997-98 to 1999-2000 0.1 (31%) 
			 1998-99 to 2000-01 0.1 (31%) 
			 1999-2000 to 2001-02 0.1 (28%) 
			 2000-01 to 2002-03 0.1 (27%) 
			 2001-02 to 2003-04 0.1 (23%) 
			 2002-03 to 2004-05 0.1 (20%) 
			 2003-04 to 2005-06 0.1 (17%) 
			 2004-05 to 2006-07 0.1 (17%) 
			 2005-06 to 2007-08 0.1 (19%) 
			 2006-07 to 2008-09 0.1 (18%) 
			  Notes : 1. These statistics are based on the Households Below Average Income series, sourced from the Family Resources Survey. 2. All estimates are based on survey data and are therefore subject to uncertainty. Small differences should be treated with caution as these will be affected by sampling error and variability in non-response. 3. The reference period for Households Below Average Income figures are single financial years. Three survey years have been combined as regional single year estimates are subject to volatility. 4. The income measures used to derive the estimates shown employ the same methodology as the Department for Work and Pensions publication 'Households Below Average Income' (HBAI) series, which uses disposable household income, adjusted (or 'equivalised') for household size and composition-an income measure that acts as a proxy for the standard of living. 5. For the Households Below Average Income series, incomes have been equivalised using Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) modified equivalisation factors. 6. Numbers of adults and children in low-income households have been rounded to the nearest 100,000, while proportions have been rounded to the nearest percentage point. 7. Relative poverty is defined as the number (or percentage) of given group (all people, children, pensioners) living in households with less than 60% of contemporary median household income. 8. Poverty for all people is presented on both a BHC and AHC basis. Children poverty is presented on a BHC basis and pensioners poverty on an AHC basis. This takes account of the notion that housing costs reflect the standard of living of working age families (with children), while they do not for pensioners, nearly three quarters of whom own their own home and therefore gain value from it that is not captured by the corresponding low housing costs relative to the working age population. Considering pensioners' incomes compared to others after deducting housing costs allows for more meaningful comparisons of income between working age people and pensioners, and overtime.  Source: Households Below Average Income, DWP

Redundancy: Wolverhampton South West

Paul Uppal: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what assistance his Department has provided to residents of Wolverhampton South West constituency who have been made redundant in the last 12 months;
	(2)  what steps his Department is taking to assist residents in Wolverhampton South West constituency who are in receipt of jobseeker's allowance to secure employment.

Chris Grayling: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Darra Singh. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Darra Singh:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions asking what assistance his Department has provided to residents of Wolverhampton South West constituency who have been made redundant in the last 12 months and; what steps his Department is taking to assist residents in Wolverhampton South West constituency who are in receipt of jobseeker's allowance to secure employment. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive.
	Jobcentre Plus's Rapid Response Service (RRS) is automatically offered to all employers declaring more than 20 redundancies. We may also offer the service to employers declaring less than 20 redundancies. The service aims to enable people who are made redundant to move quickly into alternative employment without the need to claim welfare benefits and can be accessed by people as soon as they are under notice of redundancy. In Wolverhampton South West, Jobcentre Plus has worked with Wolverhampton Local Authority, Better West Midlands and other partners to offer pre-redundancy support including job search techniques, benefit advice and access to financial support to cover the costs of re-training.
	Customers claiming Jobseeker's Allowance in Wolverhampton South West have access to a range of support including jobsearch; one to one advisor support, help with writing CVs, training, work experience and more specialist help depending on the jobseekers need and length of their claim.
	Jobcentre Plus work with a number of local employers in the area including Sainsbury's, KFC, C&S Care, BHS and the Black Country Hotelier's Consortium and brings their current vacancies to the attention of jobseekers living within the Wolverhampton area. To develop new Get Britain Working measures including Work Clubs and Work Together, Jobcentre Plus works closely with a number of voluntary and partner organisations within the area such as Wolverhampton Voluntary Services Council.
	I hope this information is helpful.

Remploy

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he plans to discuss with hon. Members the future of Remploy Ltd.

Maria Miller: I am happy to consider and discuss representations from all those who have an interest in improving the employment prospects of disabled people.

Social Security Benefits : East Sussex

Amber Rudd: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households in  (a) East Sussex and  (b) Hastings and Rye constituency were in receipt of benefits other than disability living allowance of more than £500 a week in the latest period for which figures are available.

Maria Miller: The information requested is available only at Great Britain level. Latest estimates show that in 2010/11 there are around 100,000 working age households in receipt of more than £500 a week in all benefits and tax credits, including Disability Living Allowance. If Disability Living Allowance is excluded then around 50,000 working age households are in receipt of more than £500 a week.
	The Chancellor's announcement of a benefit cap was informed by high-level consideration of the broad impacts. We are now working up the more detailed design of the caps. When we introduce legislation for the implementation of the caps, we will publish an impact assessment.
	 Note:
	All figures are rounded to the nearest 50,000.
	 Source:
	DWP Policy Simulation Model, based on the 2008/09 Family Resources Survey data.

Social Security Benefits: Disability

Nicky Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many new claimants of  (a) incapacity benefit and  (b) employment and support allowance there were in each relevant year since 2005.

Chris Grayling: The information as requested is not available.
	However, statistics on total on-flows to incapacity benefit/severe disability allowance and employment and support allowance are available. These are shown in the following tables, but will include both new claimants and any subsequent repeat claims.
	
		
			  Number of incapacity benefit ( IB/SDA ) c om mencements-Great Britain and abroad 
			   Number of commencements 
			 2005 595,220 
			 2006 578,190 
			 2007 583,410 
			 2008 542,900 
			 2009 54,390 
			   
			  Quarter  
			 February 2010 8,770 
			  Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 100. 2. Years are based on the sum of four quarters ending February, May, August and November. 3. Employment and support allowance (ESA) replaced incapacity benefit and income support paid on the grounds of incapacity for new claims from 27 October 2008. 4. Data will include those claimants who make another claim to incapacity benefit/severe disability allowance. 5. Latest figures are for February 2010.  Source: Department for Work and Pensions, Information Directorate, 5% sample. 
		
	
	
		
			  Number of employment and support (ESA) commencements- Great Britain  and abroad 
			  Quarter  Number of commencements 
			 November 2008 54,150 
			 February 2009 141,320 
			 May 2009 160,740 
			 August 2009 164,910 
			 November 2009 159,600 
			 February 2010 154,960 
			  Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Data published at: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/ (ESA) 3. Employment and support allowance (ESA) replaced incapacity benefit and income support paid on the grounds of incapacity for new claims from 27 October 2008. 4. The figures relating to employment support allowance have been thoroughly quality assured to National Statistics standard however it should be noted that this is a new benefit using a new data source which may not have reached steady state in terms of operational processing and retrospection. Hence most recent data shown is provisional (P).  Source: DWP Information Directorate 100% WPLS.

State Retirement Pensions

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent estimate he has made of the number of  (a) men and  (b) women aged 50 to 59 years who are unable to work; and what assessment he has made of the likely effects on each of those groups of the implementation of the proposed change in the state pension age.

Steve Webb: The Government's full response to the review of State Pension age will be published shortly. An impact assessment and equality impact assessment will also be published. These include gender impact covering the differences between men's and women's employment rates at older ages, and the reasons for being out of the labour market. Copies will be placed in the library of the House.

Tribunals Service: Standards

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent assessment he has made of the performance of the Tribunal Service in respect of employment and benefit tribunals; and what plans he has for future targets for the performance of that service.

Jonathan Djanogly: I have been asked to reply.
	The Tribunals Service Framework Document requires the agency to report its performance in its Annual Report and Accounts, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House and on the Tribunals Service website, www.tribunals.gov.uk. In addition, each year Ministers have approved a Business Plan for the Tribunals Service. Copies of this are also available on the Tribunals Service website. The Tribunals Service has also published detailed official annual statistics for the operational year 2009-10 and, most recently, for the first quarter of 2010-11. These are available on the website.
	On 1 April 2011, the Ministry of Justice plans to bring Her Majesty's Courts Service and the Tribunals Service into a new, single organisation. Performance targets for that new agency will be published in the new organisation's first Business Plan.

Unemployed People: Vetting

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of unemployed people who are awaiting Criminal Records Bureau checks to be completed before they can commence work; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: The information requested is not collated centrally and could only be provided at a disproportionate cost.

Unemployment: Older People

Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent steps his Department has taken to assist unemployed people aged over 55 years into employment.

Chris Grayling: The Department has announced plans for radical reforms to the welfare to work system, including the introduction of the new Work Programme, due to be rolled out nationally from summer 2011. The Work Programme will support a wide range of customers, including older people, and will offer an integrated and personalised system of back to work support for the first time.
	The Department currently has measures for Jobseeker's Allowance customers aged over 50 years who need more help because of age-related issues. The measures are due to run until March 2011 and give customers extra interview time with an adviser and early access to intensive help and work trials. Jobcentre Plus advisers receive training on age issues where appropriate.
	The Department worked with The Age and Employment Network to develop a best practice guide for provider organisations to use when delivering back to work services for customers aged over 50 years which launched in July 2010.
	The Department's Age Positive initiative supports employers with recruiting older workers, in addition to giving advice about training and retaining them. In August 2010, the initiative began working with business leaders in nine main occupational sectors to encourage a change in workplace attitudes; manage the transition to operating without retirement ages; and maximise the benefits from an age diverse workforce.
	The Government is consulting on phasing out the Default Retirement Age from April 2011, in order to help older people remain in work and bring about a change in attitudes amongst employers and individuals about the benefits of working for longer. The consultation ends on 21 October and the Government response will be published in autumn 2010.

Winter Fuel Payment: Erith and Thamesmead

Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many residents of Erith and Thamesmead constituency in receipt of winter fuel payment are higher rate tax payers.

Steve Webb: The Department does not hold information about the income of Winter Fuel Payment recipients as this is not required to establish entitlement.
	The latest available information about the numbers of people who received a Winter Fuel Payment in Erith and Thamesmead constituency is in the document Winter Fuel Payment recipients 2009-10 by Parliamentary Constituencies and Gender (All). This is available in the House of Commons Library and on the internet at:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?paqe=wfp.

Winter Fuel Payments

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people who are in receipt of the winter fuel allowance are aged  (a) between 60 and 64 years,  (b) 65 to 66 years and  (c) 67 to 68 years; and how much has been paid in winter fuel allowance to each such group in the latest period for which figures are available.

Steve Webb: Winter fuel payment recipients and expenditure for 2009-10 in the age categories requested are:
	
		
			  Age  Recipients (thousand)  Expenditure  ( £ million ) 
			 60-64 3,340 637 
			 65-66 1,190 211 
			 67-68 1,010 177 
			  Notes: 1 Figures for recipients are rounded to the nearest 10,000 and expenditure figures are rounded to the nearest £ million. 2 Tables containing benefit expenditure by benefit, local authority and parliamentary constituency can be found at the following URL: http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd4/index.php?page=expenditure  Source:  DWP Information Directorate 100% data.

Winter Fuel Payments: Livingston

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many individuals in Livingston constituency received the cold weather payment in 2009-10;
	(2)  what the total monetary value was of cold weather payments paid to recipients in Livingston constituency in 2009-10.

Steve Webb: The information requested is not available. Data on Cold Weather Payments is not available by constituency, but only by weather station. In 2009-10, Livingston was linked to the weather station Edinburgh Gogarbank. This weather station triggered payments on 5 occasions and each eligible individual in Livingston constituency therefore received 5 Cold Weather Payments, each worth £25.